Brasstracks overflow The Independent with their artistry and energy

The term “dynamic duo” couldn’t be more appropriate for musicians Ivan Jackson and Conor Rayne who met at the Manhattan School of Music and started a joint project Brasstracks just a few years ago.  Since the start of Brasstracks, they’ve not only released a good deal of their own genre-blending music, but they’ve influenced, produced, and remixed other great artists like Chance the Rapper (“No Problem”), Anderson. Paak (“Am I Wrong”), Gallant (“Weight in Gold”) and GoldLink (“Dance on Me”), just to name a few.  Each of their releases continue to demonstrate their unique brand of music they have termed “future brass” — a funked-up, jazzy, R&B sound that is produced with a blend of electronic elements and live instrumentals, particularly the layering of Jackson’s trumpet and Rayne’s live drums.

For Brasstracks, their latest EP For Those Who Know Pt. 1 (2017) is “the first time we’ve felt comfortable in our own skin making a project. It’s a confessional. It’s a coming of maturity. It’s an ode to New York City. In Pt. 1, you get to know our roots.” They were able to share this personal and prolific project on their first headline tour stopping by The Independent in San Francisco for a sold out show last Wednesday, April 4th.  

Brasstracks brought along rapper S’natra as their support for their first tour, featured on For Those Who Know Pt. 1 and also a NYC native.  Shouting out Jackson who helped produce most of his songs, S’natra performed with eloquence as he delivered his rhymes.  His flow was practiced and his words clearly discernible, making it easy for the audience to pick up what he was putting down.  There were moments where you could relax and listen to the lyric’s sincerity but also hype moments that brought the crowd to its feet.

With a chic, purple neon sign spelling out “Brasstracks” as their backdrop, Jackson and Rayne took the stage shortly after S’natra and hopped to their respective stations: Jackson on the trumpet and keys and Rayne on the drums.  They began the show with snippets from “Those Who Know” and showed the crowd the night was going to be a party as the vibe began to amp up quickly.

Next they played a part of their collaboration with Masego, “Melanin Man,” which then flowed into “Fever.”  Both musicians were captivating to watch, each playing their respective instruments with so much familiarity and finesse.  

Jackson took the frontline during the show and talked to the crowd genially in between songs. His personality bubbled over into his performance and he impressively danced and grooved along all the while playing the trumpet impeccably.  Rayne on the drum set definitely made all the difference in their performance and breathed new life into their recorded tracks with live drums. All their tracks feature a groovy bass line throughout that provides their electro-R&B sound with a funk-tastic element that kept the crowd bobbing along.

For “Opposite Ways,” they brought back out rapper S’natra with whom they created an amazing shared stage presence.  You can tell that these musicians don’t just respect each other’s talent and musicianship but that they are also just good friends getting a chance to go on tour together.

Jackson amped up the already lively crowd by stating, “Cuz this ain’t nothing but a party, ya heard?” His musical talent is proliferated by his natural energy and his ability to take an instrument that is usually heard in a certain context (jazz, orchestral arrangements) and completely transform it.  

Their comprehension of their own musical style and overall music theory made the show completely engaging and a seamless concert experience for the listener. This included the use of space within their music yielded moments to showcase delicious tidbits of talent and the change-up of tempo and style to keep the rhythm and vibe interesting.  Overall there was so much dynamism exuding from the duo, the small venue could barely contain it.

Their setlist was a holistic collection of their own songs and those that have influenced them, including “No Problem,” their collaboration with Chance the Rapper, an “All of the Lights” cover, and finally closing with their bumping cover of Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Llif3.”

With as much energy as they started, they closed out their San Francisco show.  Jackson and Rayne expressed their gratitude with Jackson saying, “We’re just a couple of band nerds playing music for you guys, swear to God.” Their humility and talent will pave the way for this dynamic duo.

Written by Anna Nguyen