The TinMen

The Tin Men formed in New Orleans, bringing together guitarists Alex McMurray and Matt Perrine (who doubles on bass and sousaphone) and drummer Will Blanchard in an ensemble of uncanny musical empathy. Their shared vocabulary draws on blues, jazz, country, New Orleans R&B, and everything in between.

The band is known as much for their humor and rapport as for their musicianship, though the playing is consistently extraordinary. Their performances are loose, witty, and deeply swinging — the product of musicians who have played together long enough to anticipate each other's every move.

They are perennial favorites at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where their sets draw large and devoted crowds. The Tin Men have also recorded a series of studio albums that capture their sound well, though their true medium is the live performance.

The Tin Men represent something essential about the New Orleans musical ecosystem — the way deep musical knowledge, genuine friendship, and a commitment to the pleasure of playing can produce something genuinely distinctive and valuable.