On Sunday, the Hot 8 Brass Band played the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the first time without Bennie Pete, their longtime frontman and tuba player. Pete was 45 when he died in September of complications from COVID and sarcoidosis. “We always carry his spirit with us,” said trombonist Tyrus Chapman, 48.
The loss of Pete left a big hole on stage, in part because Pete was a big physical presence who stood at least 6ft 6in tall and wore a size 16 shoe. eye and said, “You’re going to be snorkeling.”
READ KATY RECKDAHL’S FULL STORY HERE.
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The Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
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The Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
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Rodrick ‘Scrubble’ Davis Sr., right, dances to large speakers as the Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, 1 May 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Lawyer)
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The Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
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The Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
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Rodrick ‘Scrubble’ Davis Sr., right, dances as the Hot 8 Brass Band performs on the Congo Square stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Lawyer)
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People dance on the Congo Square stage as the Hot 8 Brass Band performs during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Brett Duke, NOLA.com | The Times -Picayune | The New Orleans Lawyer)
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23412076/merlin_2920005.jpg "Utah Jazz Mailbag: Should Donovan Mitchell play point guard?")
