Big Wy’s Brass Band one of the bands coming to Music Prize 2025

Big Wy’s Brass Band is an Austin, Texas-based group known for its mix of traditional New Orleans jazz and original funk music.
The band found a welcoming audience in Shreveport, Louisiana, after performing at Prize Fest in 2024.
The band’s participation in the festival led to a performance opportunity with Hugo Burnham, the drummer for Gang of Four.

What is better than jazz music? Well, have you ever heard of Big Wy’s Brass Band? This brass band takes jazz to a whole new level with its eclectic mix of traditional New Orleans and funky originals.

Birthed in Austin, Texas, this band said Shreveport became home away from home after its first visit in 2024. Big Wy’s caravaned into town last October to perform at Prize Fest 2024.

“As a young independent band, taking risks and leaving home is really hard and so we lean on the places that make us feel like we are still at home, even when we are hundreds of miles away from Austin,” William Wright, Big Wy’s trombone player said. “Shreveport really became that place overnight because of Prize Fest.”

Each year during Prize Fest, the Prize Foundation host Music Prize. More than 1,000 from musicians across the country submitted for consideration for this two night event.

Musicians battle it out for 20 minutes for the chance to win a $10,000 cash prize as well as a chance to get the attention of mentor judges.

“Having the access to all these mentor judges is amazing,” Wyatt Corder, Big Wy’s trumpet player, guitar player and singer said. “It’s led to some amazing opportunities in our musical career already.

“I met the drummer of Gang of Four, Hugo Burnham. He saw the brass band last year, and literally after the performance he was like, ‘Hey, I might need a horn section for Gang of Four’s farewell tour, for a show.’ So, we played with him in Austin.”

“Whenever we go to Music Prize there are just 10 judges all super professional with amazing experience, all just corralled in Shreveport for an entire weekend,” Wright said. “It’s really amaizng to get to bounce off ideas with so many professionals.”

Learn more about Big Wy’s Brass Band

This funky brass band started 10 years ago, when high school band kids were trying to be rebellious and play some funkier stuff rather than classical music they were being handed in marching band.

“We started like a good band, started as a group of best friends, just trying to have fun,” Wright said.

Since their formation they have played in Guatemala, Costa Rica and jazz festivals all over.

“It’s fun growing up in a band with all your best friends and it’s cool that we started a band in high school and from there we went to UT and we played UT college parties and the co-op scene and it was so much fun,” Corder said. “Just playing four to six parties in two, three days, just like one party, one stage, back to back. Just trying to play as much as possible.”

Big Wy’s is continuing to grow and has become an iconic band in Austin. According to Corder and Wright, they hope to continue to come to Shreveport and one day play a proper show.

To learn more about Big Wy’s Brass Band, visit www.bigwysbrassband.com.

Music Prize will kick off Friday, Oct. 17, with five bands on the first night and five more on Saturday, Oct. 18. Passes for this electric event are available on www.prizefest.com.

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at [email protected].