Enough Energy to Power the World!

There has always been street bands but the group “Lucky Chops” has raised to bar to the stars.

This young and talented ensemble is off the charts when speaking of showmanship, energy and creativity. Their non-stop performances will make most listeners want to go home and take a nap.

Check out just a couple examples of their performances and be sure to catch them live if you happen to live in the New York area.

The Lucky Chops are a New York-based band, formed in 2006. They started in Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and were founded by sousaphone player Raphael Buyo along with trombonist Josh Holcomb and saxophonist/clarinetist Daro Behroozi; at first, they began busking on street corners and in subway stations. During their time at college, they decided to take their band to a professional level. The name “Lucky Chops” was proposed by the band’s original trumpet player, Daniel Ratkowski, during a word-association brainstorming session and refers to the fact that all of their instruments (except the drums) are wind. Their early music was mainly covers and mash-ups of other songs. Their original works are influenced by the vast mix of cultures in NYC and are very personal to the member of the band who wrote the piece in question. This means the band performs a wide variety of musical styles and are not bound by a single genre. The band had a steady start, playing in the New York Subway for commuters. They gained brief internet fame from a 2016 YouTube video showing their rendition of “Funky Town” and “I Got You (I Feel Good)” featuring Leo P, which helped to significantly boost their popularity. Now they perform all over the world. Around the time of their internet fame, they released their first album: Lucky Chops NYC. The band has seen over 50 musicians play with them over the past 14 years including Grace Kelly and Sunny Jain. They are also the live house band of the MTV show “Girl Code Live.”

Check them out………….
LUCKY CHOPS

Bruce was a member of the faculty at the University of Northern Iowa, School of Music in Cedar Falls from 1969 until his retirement in 1999. He has performed with many well-known entertainers such as Bob Hope, Jim Nabors, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Anita Bryant, Carman Cavalara, Victor Borgie, the Four Freshman, Blackstone the Magician, Bobby Vinton and John Davidson.