Derrick "Smoker" Freeman | SOUL Brass Band

SOUL Brass Band: Saturday Night at Avenue Pub ⭐

Saturday, August 22 @ 9:00PMSat, Aug 22 @ 9:00PM

Join SOUL Brass Band for a Saturday night of New Orleans music, culture, and celebration at Avenue Pub.

Led by Derrick "Smoker" Freeman and featuring some of the city's most accomplished musicians, SOUL Brass Band blends the energy of the second line with soul, funk, hip-hop, and brass band traditions to create an unforgettable live experience. From infectious grooves to crowd-moving anthems, every performance is rooted in the spirit and sound of New Orleans.

Whether you're meeting friends for drinks, exploring the city, or looking for the perfect soundtrack to your Saturday night, SOUL Brass Band delivers the kind of authentic New Orleans energy that keeps people coming back.

📍 Avenue Pub
🗓 Saturday, August 22, 2026
⏰ 9:00 PM
⚜️ New Orleans, LA

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About Derrick Freeman

Derrick “Smoker” Freeman is a genre-defying drummer, DJ, songwriter, and bandleader whose sound beats with the true pulse of New Orleans. Blending jazz, funk, hip-hop, and second-line traditions, Freeman stands at the crossroads of rhythm and revolution. As the creative force behind the Soul Brass Band, he’s carried the city’s spirit onto stages worldwide with infectious energy and fearless originality.

A true music authority, Freeman is also a longtime DJ on New Orleans’ legendary WWOZ, where his deep knowledge and instinct for sound move seamlessly across eras and genres. Whether behind the kit or behind the decks, his selections reflect a lifetime immersed in the culture.

A versatile visionary, Freeman also founded The Low End Theory, a 90s hip-hop tribute project that reimagines the golden era through a Crescent City lens. His work across stage, screen, and sound affirms his place as both a cultural torchbearer and storyteller.

Beyond performance, Freeman co-hosts The Shadow People podcast with Nigel Hall, exploring the intersections of music, creativity, and community. As an educator and advocate, he continues to uplift the next generation—bridging genres, mediums, and souls with the unmistakable groove of New Orleans.

Festivals of note:

Istanbul International Jazz Festival July 2019

Bonnaroo June 2019

Spiaggi Soul Fest, Ravenna, Italy 2017,18 & 19

Tolfa Jazz Festival, Tolfa, Italy 2018

New Orleans Festival in Tel Aviv June 2018

Dal Mississippi Al Po, Piacenza, Italy 2018

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 2017,18

Jazz Ascona, Switzerland 2016, 2017

Copenhagen Fringe Festival 2016, 17

Jazz in Fort L’Ecluse, France 2017

Breda Jazz Festival, Netherlands 2023

Jazz Fest 2016-2025

Wild Things 2019

FQF 2016-2022, 2025

Bayou Boogaloo

Congo Square Rhythms Fest

Venues of Note:

Brooklyn Bowl

Sugar Club, Dublin

Antone’s, Austin

New Parish, Oakland

SoHo House, White City House

SoHo House, Berlin

SoHo House, Istanbul

SoHo House, Manhattan

SoHo House, Miami

Lagniappe, Miami

The Alibi, Telluride

Badenscher Höf, Berlin

Bearsville Theater, Woodstock

Ridgeville Playhouse, Connecticut

7 Grand , Los Angeles

SOUL Brass Band: Saturday Night at Avenue Pub ⭐

About Derrick Freeman

Book DJ Derrick Smoker, Soul Brass Band, or Low End Theory Players

Fuck Around and Find Out

Latest single available on vinyl

Soul Brass Band

Live from Jazz Fest 2025

Where rhythm meets soul, Derrick creates immersive experiences that blend rhythm, storytelling, and soul—whether on stage, on screen, or behind the mic.

Festivals of note:

Venues of Note:

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