Brass Rock
tagStarted 1967Peak 1969-1975Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Rock built around a full, arranged brass section, trumpets, trombones and saxes punching riffs and harmonized lines as the lead voice alongside guitar and Hammond organ. Big, bright, ensemble-driven sound with jazz-schooled charts and soulful belted vocals. The horns aren't seasoning, they're the hook, the riff and the signature.
History
Took off in 1967-68 as Chicago (then Chicago Transit Authority) and Blood, Sweat & Tears scaled bands up to seven-plus pieces with dedicated horn sections. Chicago's run of hits made the brass-rock template a chart staple into the 70s, balancing pop songcraft with extended jazz-tinged instrumental passages and improvised solos.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood,_Sweat_%26_Tears
- https://rockcellarmagazine.com/top-11-rock-songs-with-horns/
- https://ultimateclassicrock.com/blood-sweat-tears-songs/