Skokiaan Brass Band

Founded in 2013 by saxophonist, composer, and arranger François Rigaldiès, Skokiaan Brass Band draws its energy from the New Orleans brass band tradition. A formative residency in Louisiana in 2015 shaped the group’s sound, which blends second-line rhythms with funk, soul, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean and African influences.

Based in France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the ten-piece collective combines high-level musicianship with an unmistakably festive spirit. Their releases include We Need Music! (2018), The French Touch (2020), produced by Kirk Joseph of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Skoki Mama (2024), produced by Scott Billington and recorded across France, the United States, Benin, and Ghana.

With more than 150 performances in France and abroad, Skokiaan Brass Band delivers music that is powerful, dance-driven, and accessible to all generations — grounded in tradition while open to new influences and collaboration.