New Orleans-based brass band the Nightcrawlers took home the GRAMMY for Best Regional Roots Album last night for their 2020 hit Atmosphere.
The Nightcrawlers have been around for 25 years and saxophonist Jason Mingledorff said the tight-knit family never imaged one day they’d be here.
“It’s kind of the dream for a lot of musicians but I think to not get our hopes up it’s always a dream beyond that we never really think we can have,” said Mingledorff, who also teaches at Loyola of New Orleans.
The Nightcrawlers are a collective of active musicians from other bands and only play a few live gigs a year.
Mingledorff said he’s most excited for the exposure their win will give other great New Orleans bands and the Crescent City as a whole.
“If someone hears about us for the first time it might be the first time hearing about what New Orleans brass band is. They might come to New Orleans and discover it for themselves in person,” said Mingledorff.
The Nightcrawlers joined the Rebirth Brass Band as New Orleans brass bands who’ve won a GRAMMY.
Mingledorff said it’s been a tough year for musicians. But the upside of so much downtime means everyone’s been practicing.
“There are going to be a lot of musicians coming out of this pandemic ready to play, and with new skills. I think you are going to have a renaissance of great New Orleans music,” said Mingledorff.
Atmosphere was finished just as the pandemic began.
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