"Tornado Special" - Rebirth Brass Band

"Tornado Special" (PDF) from the Rebirth Brass Band album, The Main Event: Live At The Maple Leaf, and compilation, Ultimate Rebirth Brass Band.

Once again, due to the lack of liner notes in the downloadable version of this recording, I am somewhat clueless as to the history of this tune.

NOTES from reader, NlorNOLA: "the original of Tornado Special was featured on Rebirth's 1992 album Take It To The Street. According to Allmusic it was written by Darryl Adams, who I assume is the sometimes saxophonist at Preservation Hall. This version didn't feature the other part that I assume to be the Mardi Gras Indian song of Ooh Nah Nay, but I'll have to dig out the Ultimate album to double check that. The song is still a regular feature at many current second line parades."

The trombone solo makes use of the minor pentatonic, or sometimes the blues scale, over the Eb dominant seventh chord.  The flat third (Gb) and the use of the flat 7th (Db), instead of the 6th, flavor the music with attitude.  Also, in oder to keep the pulse moving, or to keep up with it, the syncopation must be light.  Notice how the last sixteenth-note before the down beat is accented.  This builds and swings the momentum to make the pulse perpetually stronger.

SPECIAL THANKS to Jesse and NlorNOLA for your contributions!

Here is an amazing YouTube video from Deborah “Big Red” Cotton of Rebirth playing “Casanova” in a parade from earlier this year:

Recommended Reading: Scam School Book 2 by Brian Brushwood.  Published by Bizarre Magic, Inc.