A musical Rorschach test is conducted on a Westport sidewalk when The Loose Cannon Brass Band play their Friday matinee show at the open-air upstairs bar at Blayney's.
Passerby are assailed by the blare of a New Orleans street party. Many people stop dead in their tracks as wide smiles form on their faces. These are the people I want in my life. Others stop and stare, unsure what to make of the improbable scenario. I'm cool with this cautious approach. Finally, there are the haters- people who are visibly contemptuous of the spontaneous party.
The most uninhibitedly joyous sound on the planet may be the sound of a New Orleans-style brass band. Raucous, funky and celebratory, it's balm for the soul. With the exception of high school jazz band offshoots, it's been years, if ever, that I've encountered a locally-based brass band in Kansas City. The guys in Loose Cannon may not be changing the world, but I intend to squeeze into this tiny space to become a part of the music every chance I get.
(Original photos by Plastic Sax.)
