Brass Queens

Featuring:
Alex Joseph - trumpet
Ally Chapel - sax
Minerva Johnson - trumpet
Ashley Baier - drums
Stephanie King - trumpet
Stephanie Young - trombone
Nora Nalepka - sousaphone

“The Brooklyn, New York based, eight-piece female brass band, the Brass Queens deliver the sounds of New Orleans, where the brass band tradition originated, to the Big Apple via their Royal St. EP. The six song instrumental EP floats by like a paddle wheel steamer on the mighty Mississippi.”— Rock the Body Electric

“Brass Queens band, a New Orleans-inspired all-female band, blasted out bright, buoyant tunes… ”— New York Times

Brass Queens is a New York-based brass band that is female-led and features an all-female horn section. Finding that they shared similar frustrations about the emerging brass band scene in the city, co-founders Alex Harris and Ally Chapel came together to form a group dedicated to showcasing the talents of female musicians in a landscape that was dominated by male musicians and bandleaders. After debuting in March 2019, Brass Queens grew to be a fixture in the New York music scene and was even dubbed "the hardest working band in town" by their peers. The Queens gained a dedicated following through busking on the streets of Brooklyn and playing pop-up events in tight-knit communities. Even the pandemic couldn't slow them down, as the band found ways to still bring music and joy to their fans during quarantine. Since then, Brass Queens has gone on to play iconic venues like Blue Note Jazz Club and Brooklyn Bowl, as well as major events like The Met Gala, Governor's Ball Music Festival, Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Good Morning America, and more.

Brass Queens has developed a signature sound that sits right at the intersection of the Big Apple and the Big Easy: their music is deeply inspired by and pays homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while injecting the upbeat, multifaceted energy of their New York home into each performance. The result is a nonstop party: a Brass Queens show will have you singing along to classic pop hits, dancing your heart out to reggaeton, and feeling like you've been transported to Frenchman Street. In February 2021, Brass Queens released their debut EP Royal Street on all streaming platforms, and on October 27, 2023 they released their first full-length album titled Black & Gold.