Michigan brass band invites fans into the studio for two nights of house shows this September, with the album set for release during Mardi Gras season 2027

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — September 8, 2026 — Great Lakes Brass, the Michigan-grown brass band whose sound is "Inspired by New Orleans, Born of the Great Lakes," will record its debut album live with an audience this September in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fans new and old are invited to join the sessions and help shape the record's energy.

"We feel our music is an outcome of shared connections," said bandleader and sousaphone player Fred Bueltmann. "We like to say this music is a walking community circle, where the perspective and space between performer and audience are blended, or intertwined. We knew when it came time to record, that we wanted to invite our people in to be a part of it."

Great Lakes Brass celebrates the culture and traditions of New Orleans, drawing on the style and sound of genre-bending brass bands and second lines. The group's sets include traditional songs central to the origin story of jazz, blues, and funk, alongside cues from contemporary brass band culture — riffing on popular and original music through a funky New Orleans-meets-Michigan lens. Reverence for history runs alongside ongoing creative adaptation and a pledge to play it forward.

The debut album, Love Letter to New Orleans, will feature original songs written by Great Lakes Brass members alongside rousing renditions of eclectic covers. The band is taking an unconventional approach to the recording: two full sets of music will be performed at each of two shows, with the best cuts selected afterward for the album. "This music is about being in the moment, so we want to let the moments determine what we share for posterity," the band said.  

The House Shows

The performances will take place at Green Frog, a photo and video studio in Grand Rapids run by longtime Great Lakes Brass collaborator Seth Thompson and his partner, Jeff Hage. "We're calling them 'house shows,' because it's an open, creative space and BYO — so it will feel like you're in a secret show, in a groovy studio where all the funky people are hanging out," Bueltmann said. "Mostly because you will be."

Ticketed performances are scheduled for:

  • Saturday, September 19th at 8 pm (7 pm doors)
  • Sunday, September 20th at 2 pm (1 pm doors)

Tickets are on sale now, via www.greatlakesbrass.com/shop. Each ticket includes admission to the show, a code to redeem an advance download of the album ahead of its February 2027 release, and a limited-edition GLB Medallion.

Album Release & Upcoming Shows

Great Lakes Brass will release Love Letter to New Orleans during its Carnival/Mardi Gras season, in late January and early February 2027.

Following the house shows, fans can catch Great Lakes Brass at:

About Great Lakes Brass

Great Lakes Brass has played extensively across Michigan, including popular festivals such as Harvest Gathering, Buttermilk Jamboree, Blissfest, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, ArtPrize, and Sounds of the Zoo, among others. GLB founded the annual Mardi Gras celebration "Saugatuck Second Line" with its inaugural outing in 2020, and has since collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Airborne or Aquatic, Seth Bernard, The Rebel Eves, Peter Madcat Ruth, Rachael Davis, A. Billi Free, Charlie Millard, Hannah Laine, Joshua Davis, The Frank Youngman All Stars, and Kait Rose, among others.

Trumpet, trombone, and saxophone carry familiar melodies driven by sousaphone and percussion. On the street or on the stage, the music moves. Based in Fennville, Michigan, Great Lakes Brass features a lineup of notable Michigan musicians, including Fred Bueltmann (sousaphone), Josh Keller (trumpet), Jarad "Saxsquatch" Selner (saxophone), Scott Dumas (trombone), Dede Alder (drums), Carolyn Koebel (drums), Andrew Schrock (vocals), Brad Fritcher (trumpet), Ken Cooper (trumpet), Adam Danis (drums), and many others.

Media Contact

Fred Bueltmann

greatlakesbrass@gmail.com