Youthful Brass that Appreciates the Past.

Bands like Hypnotic, a group from Chicago who have blended the sounds of jazz, big band and hip-hop, have been changing the face of brass bands. This new wave of music has now carried over to the UK.

Bands like 12Tone Brass, a six-piece group from South East London, have been influenced by bands like Hypnotic.

And now, they're adding their own flavor to the music.

"Over the last five years or so, bands like Young Blood Brass and Hot 8 have all been touring Europe and have brought a different dimension to how the UK public views brass bands," said 12Tone's saxophone player Nick Walters. "There is also a northern tradition here in England, with a very different sound to the New Orleans brass bands. The music is influenced by British classical and folk music. So I guess we wanted to bring a new dimension to brass band music by making it youthful and fresh but also paying homage to the traditions before us."

- Text by Meghan Agnew. Image provided by 12Tone.