A traditional funky brass band from New Orleans is something that should not only be heard but literally 'experienced' in a live setting. I just had the privilege of performing a few songs last week with the Jazz Ambassadors in Rome Italy at a beautiful venue called La Palma at the end of their extensive European tour. The audience was perhaps perplexed at first because of the band’s astounding grooves and fierce energy but by the second half of the show the people were virtually dancing on the tables and parading around the club in a traditional New Orleans 2nd line style reminiscent of Mardi Gras. To see the crowd respond to this music so far away from home in such a positive way gave me a glimmer of hope for the future of New Orleans and it’s music. I don’t know if music could necessarily change the world in which we live, but if anything I know that live music in general could make a big difference and could at least provide people with some sort of universal understanding, happiness, and compassion towards one another.