Brother Joscephus And The Love Reviva…

Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra is a 12-piece explosion of righteousness blending New Orleans party music, Soul in the style of Ray Charles and Al Green, a good helping of jam-bandy Roots Rock and a splash of upbeat (non-religious) Gospel into a feel-good gumbo of love. The band released its debut CD in 2009 to rave reviews and accolades (“I Won’t Be That Man” and “A Child Shall Lead” were both selected as finalist in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Competition).

In the group’s short history they have already made a big splash in the NYC music scene, sharing the stage with New Orleans stalwarts such as the Rebirth Brass Band, George Porter, Trombone Shorty, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bonerama, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and Eric Lindell.

The Revolution began expanding into other regions in April, 2009 playing 13 shows in 12 days during Jazz Fest in New Orleans. This garnered enough buzz to get an exclusive interview and regular rotation on WWOZ, the premier jazz & blues radio station in New Orleans and co-sponsor of Jazz Fest. Since then the group has performed in 10 states and developed a strong presence in several markets up and down the eastern seaboard. Many followers have attended recent Revivals in Vermont (Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, Red Fox Inn), Boston (Harper’s Ferry), Long Island (Stephen Talkhouse, Great South Bay Festival), Philadelphia, Dewey Beach, Winston-Salem, Asheville (Bele Chere Festival), Atlanta (Smith’s Olde Bar), Birmingham and New Orleans (Blue Nile & Tipitina’s during VooDoo Fest).

Each BroJo tune has been meticulously arranged for the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra: The three-piece horn section (the Shepherds of the Wind), the gospel choir (the Voices of Reason), and the most righteous rhythm section (the Guardians of the Groove) lay it down for Brother Joscephus to sing about the pain, joy and wisdom that is in his heart.

The core group is twelve pieces, but the Revolution has been known to expand to over sixteen (adding members to the gospel choir, fiddle, mandolin and percussion).

A Love Revival with Brother Joscephus is more than just excellent original live music. It’s a life changing EXPERIENCE! The orchestra is decked out in their finest whites (accented with the appropriate gold, purple and green of Mardi Gras). They break out parasols, start each set with a parade through the audience and throw out hundreds of Mardi Gras beads over the course of a show. When the parade starts grooving the crowd can't help but have a good time. It's undeniable!!

Brother Joscephus' message is one of righteousness: spread as much love as possible around, regardless of your individual beliefs, race, age, gender, sex, sexual orientation or whatever it is you're into. Long as you're not hurting anyone, BroJo has much love for you and encourages you to fill the space with whatever love you got. That's what the Love Revival Revolution is all about.

"I Won't Be That Man" - FINALIST (top 4) - 2008 session II John Lennon Songwriting Competition

"A Child Shall Lead" - FINALIST (top 4) - 2009 session I John Lennon Songwriting Competition

"A Child Shall Lead" - HONORABLE MENTION - 2009 Peacedriven Songwriting Award

"...an 11-piece band that plays secular gospel... get your head around that!" - New York Times, December 25, 2008

"I've been booking in NYC since 1990 and have never seen anything like it! Great show, great music, great party!" -- Mike Maietta, CEG/Sullivan Hall

"It's rare to find an act that sounds so comfortable and familiar and yet so completely unique. Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra is intoxicating." -Shana Liebman, Arts Editor, Heeb Magazine

Review: Brother Joscephus And The Love Revival Revolution Orchestra

Brother Joscephus And The Love Revival Revolution Orchestra - Self-Titled

2009, Righteous Enough Records

Today we get to hear the words of the secular gospel of Brother Joscephus And The Love Revival Revolution Orchestra, an 11-piece band from New York City who sounds like they just stepped off the steamer from New Orleans. Ray Charles Soul and R&B, southern Gospel and New Orleans Jazz all get thrown into the mix to create one of the most dynamic and enjoyable recordings to come out of the New York City scene in quite some time. Brother Joscephus And The Love Revival Orchestra was released in February of 2009 and has already made a splash in New York, but something this good can't be contained even in a city the size of New York. Brother Joscephus brings his message of universal love, harmony and peace wrapped up in some of the warmest feel good music you can find.

The CD opens with A Child Shall Lead, done in classic southern gospel style. It's an amazing listen and poignant regardless of your belief system. Like many of the songs on Brother Joscephus, A Child Shall Lead is written from the perspective of the downtrodden; the folks who know they can't live up to the standard of perfection but continue to try to be good and hope for one to come along to lead them all into the path of righteousness. The same ideal has transcended philosophical and religious thought in culture after culture, and there is a strong history of this resigned persistence in jazz in particular. Brother Joscephus captures this heavy dynamic perfectly in a song that is deep yet entertaining. Bon Temps Roulez is a New Orleans expression in French Creole meaning Let The Good Times Roll. The song is written in a jazz fueled style reminiscent of some of Randy Newman's best work and is a definite highlight.

Brother Joscephus channels the late, great Ray Charles on Can't Help Myself, getting the same sort of gritty soul and pop mix that Charles practically invented. O Moses and More Than I Need fit into the secular gospel model that Joscephus brings to this CD and to his live shows, whereas Bury Me In New Orleans hits the perfect blend of Rock, R&B and Jazz. It's hard to pick one or two highlights here, as everything on the disc is a great listen.

Brother Joscephus is a showman in the most classic sense. It would be easy to imagine seeing Brother Joscephus on the same stages as greats such as Louis Prima and Bobby Darin. Brother Joscephus And The Love Revival Revolution Orchestra is a must-listen, must own CD. While the style isn't original, there are so few people doing this sort of music these days that it will sound new and original, much like Brian Setzer reintroducing the world to Louis Prima and swing a decade ago. You don't want to miss this Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

- Wildy’s World Music Blog, March, 2009

Everything about this is cool, from the concept to the songs to the ATTITUDE, it's a very refreshing listen.

- Mondo Blu Podcast

Great stuff! ...Secular Gospel? What a fantastic idea!!!

- Music and Mumblings Music Blog

WOW, Makes me want to jump in the car and head to New Orleans!

- Much to Do About Nothing Podcast

Just awesome!

- Murf Reeves, DJ, WWOZ New Orleans

Brother Joscephus made his way into my heart before I heard the music because of the menu posted on his website for the Nawlins Gospel Brunch. It includes delicacies such as "The Bayou Melt" Grilled Cheese/Andouille Sausage/Caramelized Onions/Sweet Potato Fries. Instant hit with me, but of course that won’t make me tell you about the band. For me to pick up a pen and write and not just dream of eating, I need to hear some music. No prob, the CD is just as much fun as the menu.

A Child Shall Lead starts off this humpday with a church of delight hollerin’ joy in the spirit love this life dance party! “Can I get an Amen?” The Voices of Reason supply the "Amen" in full. The party continues with Bon Tempe Roulez, which announces “got the jones in my bones”, along with an aural menu that keeps these ears happily drinking in the horn section while the singer preaches about chicken wings, jambalaya and shoo-fly pie. Scrumptious. More Than I Need brings Motown spices to New Orleans, “I want to shout it from the top of the mountain. . .I got soul satisfaction!” The slow dance is a total knockout that Brother is able to suck emotions out into the open entitled I Won't Be That Man (“even your dog don’t want to be around you, but he ain’t got no choice”). The jumping party attitude returns with a whistle and some fine horn interplay on Midnight Moon (“I’m listening to the stereo and feelin’ Neil Young, they ain’t come up with an emotion that man hasn’t sung”). The videos will let you see the versatile talents of this exciting party animal. Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra!

- Eartaste Music Blog

The first time I listened to the self-titled album by Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra, I imagined a Broadway show. In the show, a young man born in New Orleans comes to New York City. Through various trials and tribulations, he is encouraged, chastised, and set back upon the course by a Greek chorus of Mardi Gras Indians, sometimes ghostly in appearance, who represent his roots. The show concludes with the young man, not so young any more, returning to New Orleans to live out his life and die. That may sound like a downer of an ending, but remember that a New Orleans funeral is a joyous occasion, a celebration of a life well lived, and so it is here. The finale is the song, Bury Me in New Orleans, heard here.

This album, however, is not that show. But this is big music, and it would sound right at home in a Broadway musical, one I would love to see. This is rhythm and blues music, in the best sense. There is a core band of six musicians here, plus four horn players, plus four background singers. There is piano work reminiscent of Professor Longhair, gospelish vocal arrangements, a tight/loose rhythm section in that way that is unique to New Orleans, a church-like organ in places. And Brother Joscephus has the vocal chops to pull this off. It takes a powerful voice, that can express a range of emotions over full arrangements without ever forcing it, and Joscephus passes every test.

Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of all this is the fact that this is a debut album. This is a large band, with complex arrangements, and they mostly get it right on the first try. All of the musicians have something to do in every song, but there are stretches where some, or even most, of the musicians sit out, waiting for when the are needed, and their entrances are all the more powerful for it. I have often heard that one of the hardest things for a young musician to do is not play, but here the arrangements do not accommodate such youthful impatience. Another marvel is the fact that a band this large creates such an intimate sound on some of tunes. Both Can’t Help Myself and I Won’t Be That Man include the full band, but make quiet personal statements.

The album begins on a high note. A Child Shall Lead is a joyous and riotous expression of faith, although not the one the listener expects. Joscephus catalogs some of the troubles of the world, and says, “Don’t try to tell me that she’s born with sin/ Her smile could teach this world how to love again/ And a child shall lead the way.” This is the faith of a man who has just beheld the miracle of the birth of his first child. There is nothing religious about it, although it is a profound feeling, to be sure.

From there, faith and love wax and wane throughout the album. The two songs about New Orleans, Bury Me in New Orleans and Bon Temps Roulez, both have a spiritual dimension to them; they are as a much about a state of mind as they are about a physical place. O Moses is a plea for help during a crisis of faith. And the songs about relationships find the narrator offering or needing encouragement. So lyrically, Don’t Give Up On Love is a fitting way to close the album.

This is a debut album, after all. So there are a couple of things to improve upon in the future. Midnight Moon is a wonderful tune with a Tin Pan Alley feel to it. But it doesn’t fit musically with what has gone before. It sounds like it belongs on a different album, one I would love to have as well.

- Oliver di Place Music Blog

Love the gospel feel to this group. They are fresh and exciting.

Love songs "More than i need", "Can't Help Myself" is a great ballad.

"O moses" is another great gospel song which kinda makes you think about things.

"Bury Me inNew Orleans" is a classic.

As well as being gospel they also have great soul and R&b and blues especially in the track "I Wont Be That Man".

"Midnight Moon" has a great old feel to it and is absolutely brilliant.

"Dont Give Up on Love" is a great ending to the album and has a great souly feel to it.

Love this cd. 5 stars (out of 5)

- AllSortsMan Music Blog