(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Grunin Center for the Arts presents Brass Queens on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 7:00pm. Brass Queens is a female-led, New York-based brass band that has been dominating the brass band scene since 2019.
Finding that they shared similar frustrations about the emerging brass band scene in New York City, co-founders Alex Harris and Ally Chapel came together to form a group dedicated to showcasing the talents of female musicians in a landscape that was dominated by male musicians and bandleaders.
After debuting in March 2019, Brass Queens grew to be a fixture in the local music scene and was dubbed “the hardest working band in town” by their peers. The Queens gained a dedicated following through outdoor performances on the streets of Brooklyn and playing pop-up events in their community through the pandemic.
Tickets are $24 and are available for purchase online or by calling the Grunin Center Box Office at 732-255-0500. Grunin Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey.
Brass Queens tour regularly across the country and internationally. Recent highlights include a New Year’s Eve performance in Telluride, multiple nights at Favela Chic in New Orleans, and a sold out show at Cliff Bell’s in Detroit. They also make appearances on festival stages including the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Northlands Music Festival, MusikFest, Duck Jazz Festival, and multiple appearances at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival.
A core value of the band is to play for as many audiences as possible to increase the visibility of female musicians in brass bands. Brass Queens has played major events like The Met Gala and David Byrne’s “Amazing Humans Doing Amazing Things!” Variety Show, and for notable clients including New Balance, Chanel, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Bombas, Perrier, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
The band has also performed on national television on Good Morning America, and had multiple shows at iconic New York venues like The Capitol Theater, Blue Note Jazz Club, and Brooklyn Bowl. They are also the 2023 winners of We Love NYC’s Rider’s Choice Award, after the people of New York voted the Queens as their favorite of the MTA’s Music Under New York’s roster of subway performers.
The band has developed a signature style that sits right at the intersection of the Big Apple and the Big Easy. Their sound is deeply inspired by and pays homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while injecting the upbeat, multifaceted energy of their New York home into each performance. The result is a nonstop party: a Brass Queens show will have you singing along to classic pop hits, dancing your heart out to reggaeton, and feeling like you’ve been transported to Frenchman Street.
In February 2021, Brass Queens released their debut EP Royal Street, which takes listeners on a six-song journey beginning in the heart of New York City with a cover of Cameo’s Candy, down to Royal St. with their take on a New Orleans traditional, Little Liza Jane. In November 2023, the band released their first full-length album titled Black & Gold, which is an ode to the Brass Queen’s incredible early fanbase who supported the band from the virtual performances and socially-distanced street corners during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the crowded clubs and packed venues of today. Less than a year later, Brass Queens released their second full-length album and their first album of all-original music titled Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I.
The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, located on the campus of Ocean County College, is a performing arts center that celebrates the arts of dance, theater, music, and visual art.
Featuring acts from across the globe, the Grunin Center’s intimate venue allows visitors to experience once-in-a-lifetime performances at our multi-venue complex, which includes the Main Stage, the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theater, the OCC Black Box Theatre, and a brand-new Art Gallery.
The Grunin Center also hosts young performers from various educational organizations, including Ocean County College students from the performing arts and fine arts programs, students from the Grunin Performing Arts Academy, and Ocean County public high school students at the Ocean County Teen Arts Festival.
The venue provides valuable arts access to the Central Jersey Shore, with over 100 events and 35,000 visitors annually.
For 60 years, Ocean County College, a public two-year community college sponsored by Ocean County and the State of New Jersey, has provided area residents with the opportunity to benefit from higher education. OCC is an innovative academic leader offering affordable, student-centered, high-quality educational experiences that empower diverse learners to achieve their goals while enriching the communities they serve.
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