The Soul Rebels ft Special Guest Big Freedia

2014 - 2015 has been explosive for THE SOUL REBELS riding high from touring four continents including Europe, Australia, debuting in China and Japan, selling out shows in New York City, opening for Bruno Mars, collaborating live with artists spanning from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Marilyn Manson, Joey Bada$$, Big Freedia, Lettuce, Umphrey's McGee, Robert Glasper, Kool & The Gang, Slick Rick and The String Cheese Incident to sharing stages with Kanye West, The Allman Brothers Band, Gary Clarke Jr., John Mayer, Jack White, Dave Mathews and Disclosure. The Soul Rebels toured with Trombone Shorty and returned home to record the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s official soundtrack, quoted by the iconic festival as “Soul Rebels, the soundtrack of Jazz Fest 2015”.

The Soul Rebels started with an idea – to expand upon the pop music they loved on the radio and the New Orleans brass tradition they grew up on. They took that tradition and blended funk and soul with elements of hip hop, jazz and rock. The band has settled on an eight-piece lineup that can be heard on their international debut release Unlock Your Mind. The Soul Rebels built a career around an eclectic live show that harnesses the power of horns and drums in the party like atmosphere of a dance club. When not touring, The Soul Rebels’ weekly show at New Orleans’ Le Bon Temps Roulé is known to erupt with the kind of contagious, shout-along musical mayhem that The Rebels bring with them wherever they perform.

The Soul Rebels continue to chart new territory as they combine topnotch musicianship and songs with grooves that celebrate dancing, life, funk and soul.

"The Soul Rebels, New Orleans' finest brass ensemble..." -VICE
“The Soul Rebels are the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong.” -VILLAGE VOICE
"New Orleans’ top-shelf brass ensemble The Soul Rebels...wind-wielding wizardry of New Orleans’ finest." OKAYPLAYER
"Brace yourselves folks, these men are quickly solidifying themselves amongst NOLA's proud big brass elite... and seem intent to sublimate the homogenoustones of the contemporary urban music landscape with the lush instrumentation of our culture's root." -OKAYPLAYER
"The Soul Rebels are rebelling against one, albeit detestable thing: starchy paint-by-numbers music." -VIBE


Big Freedia is an accomplished "Bounce" Rapper who lives in New Orleans and performs six or more times a week in various venues throughout the city. Bounce is an original urban music rising up from the intimate and fun-loving nature of the housing projects which dominate the city's street culture. "Sissy Bounce" is the informal name for a derivative of Bounce that has risen to prominence in recent years and features explicitly gay and cross-dressing musicians and themes. Big Freedia is at the forefront of this movement and has had several New Orleans hit singles such as "Gin in My System" and "Azz Everywhere!" from her albums "An Ha, Oh Yeah" (1999) and "Queen Diva" (2003). Freedia began her musical career almost 15 years ago at the Walter L. Cohen High School in New Orleans, where she was enlisted as choir director from her Sophomore to Senior years. She sees her performance as a Bounce artist as an extension of this work, often interacting in a call and response/teacher and student, fashion with her audiences. She recently developed a musical about her life entitled "Catch That Beat" with producer Lucky Johnson. The sold out first run of "Catch That Beat" featured cameo appearances by a who's who of New Orleans Bounce artists alongside the story of Freedia's upbringing in New Orleans 3rd Ward. She performs in various venues (often decorated by her own event production business) and has recently begun traveling outside the city with the encouragement and support of the New Orleans Airlift. Big Freedia has always acted as mentor for many younger artists, is currently recording her third record and recently returned from a stellar 6 show run in New York City, performing sold out shows with Spank Rock, Ninjasonik and many others at venues such as Santos Party House, Glasslands, and Sway. This year Freedia will be returning to South By Southwest, performing at multiple events including a retrospective Bounce Showcase and a historic second performance at Gay Bi Gay Gay after a short tour of the west coast with New Orleans collaborators Galactic, whom she performed with on the critically-acclaimed 2010 album "Ya-Ka-May".