TUBA SKINNY

Welcome to Kupferberg Center for the Arts! 

For over a decade, Tuba Skinny has steadily grown in popularity, releasing twelve albums and touring worldwide. Their blend of traditional jazz, ragtime, blues, and American roots music has attracted a wide range of fans, from casual listeners to dedicated jazz enthusiasts.

The band began as a busking group in New Orleans’ French Quarter, bringing early jazz to the streets. While they are recognized as world-class interpreters of traditional jazz, they resist being confined to a single genre, continually exploring and reviving long-lost tunes from both celebrated and obscure artists, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Bunk Johnson, King Oliver, Bessie Smith, and many more.

Tuba Skinny has created a distinctive band culture. Their touring adventures—swimming in Mexico’s cenotes, recording in a fruit-picker’s shack in Tasmania, and biking across Europe—reflect a lifestyle as captivating as their music. Core members include Shaye Cohn (cornet), Todd Burdick (tuba), Barnabus Jones (trombone), Robin Rapuzzi (washboard/percussion), Craig Flory (clarinet), Greg Sherman (guitar/vocals), Max Bien-Kahn (guitar/tenor banjo), and Erika Lewis (vocals/bass drum), with others joining periodically to add new textures.

Remarkably, Tuba Skinny has built a global following with minimal social media presence. Fans have organically created over 500 YouTube videos, many exceeding 100,000 views, effectively crowd-sourcing the band’s digital footprint. The band’s music remains available primarily on Bandcamp or at live shows, highlighting their commitment to authentic, direct engagement with audiences.

Despite their international success, the group consistently returns to street performances. “We continue to play the street because it’s a public space,” says Shaye. “We get to play for everyone: old, young, rich, poor, people from all walks of life. It keeps things interesting because it’s organic and unpredictable.” This devotion to their roots underpins their enduring popularity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuba Skinny focused inward, producing Magnolia Stroll, their first album of entirely original compositions. Recorded at The Tigermen Den in New Orleans’ historic Bywater neighborhood, the album captures the essence of their busking sound while celebrating the neighborhoods and musicians that have inspired them. Each track tells a story shaped by their touring experiences and musical influences, marking a deeply personal new chapter in the band’s evolution.

Northwell Health is the official sponsor of jazz programming at KCA. Tuba Skinny engagement is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.