Occasional Brass is a vibrant brass ensemble performing music from the last 400 years. Based in Boston, they are as comfortable playing Bach, Handel, and Mozart as they are Scott Joplin, Count Basie, and Stevie Wonder. The ensemble was started in June 2001 by two UMass Amherst alumni and former members of a popular funk band called Rippopotamus. DB (aka Bryan) and Russell had played across the country and opened for acts such as Queen Latifah, Phish, Fishbone, and the Beastie Boys. One of Russell’s co-workers was getting married, and Russell happened to have a book of quintet music from college. From there, they recruited members, had a few rehearsals, bought a bunch of music, and the Occasional Brass Quintet was born. Wanting to keep a good balance between their classical training at UMass and their love of all things funk/rock, they set out to create something that transcended traditional brass quintets. Above all, they would have fun. And by proxy, so would anyone that listened to them. Six years and a few hundred shows later, they work in and around Boston, including anywhere in New England. Occasional Brass has transformed into a variable brass ensemble, as there is now much demand for brass trio and quartet in addition to the quintet. They are still having a good time, and hope to continue the trend far into the future. They look for musicians that have a love of good music, balanced with a need to get funky once in a while. Rock on.