The Marcus Lewis Big Band's "Brass and Boujee" has been invited to perform at the 13th Annual Jazz Education Network Conference (JEN)in Dallas, TX on January 8th, 2022. Having been selected from multiple applicants from across the United States and world, MLBB is one of only a handful of large pro jazz ensembles selected for this amazing honor. We are excited for this opportunity to represent Kansas City on a national level!

 

We need your help to make this experience happen for the band! Traveling with a big band is not cheap. We have 20 performers that need to cover pay, travel, food, lodging. As you can imagine, with that many performers, things quickly add up. We would be forever grateful for your support as this will benefit the bandleader and performers immensely.

 

Brass and Boujee is the newest collaboration between trombonist and arranger Marcus Lewis and emcees Kemet Coleman and Kadesh Flow. Combining hip-hop and big band jazz sounds, Marcus arranges the original songs of both emcees to create a blended sound that draws in fans of jazz, hip-hop, and beyond.

 

Following the release of their self-titled debut album, “Brass and Boujee”, in August 2018, the group charted at #15 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and peaked at #1 on the iTunes Jazz Charts.

 

JEN was founded in a spirit of celebration… celebrating music, celebrating community, and celebrating endless learning. Jazz isn’t just about performing. It’s about making music together. And we can only do this if we all join together in keeping the love and education of jazz alive.

 

We are proud to see how JEN has been thriving since day one. Together, we have grown to thousands of members across the United States and around the globe. Providing numerous performance resources, promoting educational outreach, and producing the largest performance/educational conference to the global jazz community, JEN has become the leader in networking students, educators and performers in this incredible musical art form.

 

JEN has helped serve the education community by providing thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving students, recognizing and showcasing new up-and-coming composers, and creating grants to help fund more performers and clinicians in local communities.