NEW ORLEANS (press release) — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Class Got Brass competition took place on April 3, 2022 outside of the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center.
Middle and high school students from across Louisiana registered for the competition to create New Orleans-style brass band ensembles competing in a second line-style parade for a select group of celebrity judges.
Celebrity judges included Kerry Brown, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, Barbara Lacen Keller, Kevin Louis of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Leslie Cooper of WWOZ 90.7 FM, and Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown.
The competition was emceed by LeBron “LBJ” Joseph, anchor of Moving New Orleans Forward on WGNO. Grand marshals were Carol Harris aka Babydoll Kit of the N’awlins D’awlins Babydolls and Uncle Clyde, ambassador of the Original Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians.
Class Got Brass is presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Preservation Hall Foundation.
Schools in the Advanced Category who received $1,000 for participating include Edna Karr High School, L W Higgins High School, and Young Audiences Charter School.
Schools in the Beginner Category who received $1,000 for participating include Belle Chasse Academy, Riverdale High School, ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Academy, Fannie C Williams Charter School, Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology, Ridgewood Preparatory School, and Tom Benson School.
