Music is my passion, and working within the community is one of the greatest joys of my life. What I truly love about music is that we never age-out of it, we just become more experienced and wiser as we open our ears and eyes to the musical world around us.
- Carlos Menezes Jr
Carlos Menezes Jr
Director & Manager
Primarily playing the Tenor Sax and Trombone, Carlos strives to bring the big sounds of his main influences, Gene Ammons, Illinois Jacquet, and Sonny Rollins to the stage. Reflecting his own sound and style, audience members can expect a few squeaks and honks in good humor. Between 2011 and 2015 he toured professionally on sax and trombone with NYC’s “The Toasters” and had the honor and privilege of playing alongside some of the best in the genre. In that time he performed in front of thousands of fans across 43 countries in 4 different continents. Whether the audience was a couple hundred in a small club or tens of thousands in a stadium, the experience was enlightening and revealed just how powerful music can be when it comes to connecting people. Driven by the support of his family, friends, bandmates, and community, he will stop at nothing to inspire and connect audiences and listeners of all ages!
BrassFed Nation
Carlos Menezes Jr’s BrassFed Nation is a horn-driven groove machine with a unique sound incorporating the styles and traditions of early jazz, New Orleans funk & soul, rhythm & blues, calypso, and Jamaican ska!
Founded in 2013, The BrassFed Nation is dedicated to the advancement of horn-driven music through exposure and outreach in both education and local musical culture! The collective features 4 unique ensembles; Cape Ann Big Band, The Jambalaya Horns, DubToneBeat, and The 11-Piece DubTone Orchestra – all striving to inspire and connect musicians of all ages through private studio lessons, performances, workshops, and interactive clinics.