On The Verge

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds

Brooklyn, N.Y.
Big Band Funk & Blues & More
www.sistersparrow.com

“As much as we want people to spend time with our new album, we really want them to experience us live.” So says powerhouse vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe, the “sister” in Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds. On their self-titled debut album, the members of the nine-person, horn-driven band prove that they can swagger as well as skank—and get bluesy and torchy when they need to. Arleigh and her harp-blowing brother Jackson started putting the horn-heavy band together in 2007. “For all the amazing musicianship in this group, nobody has an ego,” says guitarist Sasha Brown. “When we’re working out arrangements, it always comes down to the good of the song rather than who plays what.” At Sister Sparrow’s initial gig in December of ‘07, the audience barely outnumbered the band members; and three years later, the band played moe.down and opened for with Rubblebucket and The Rebirth Brass Band. This year sees the group opening for Dr. John at the 5th Annual NolaFunk Mardi Gras Ball. “We’re all looking forward to taking it to the next level,” says Brown.