‘Aim High’: The Exciting New Single from Brassroots District

After a year that saw them tear up a record contract on stage, make headlines in Jet, and bring parking lots to a boil from Crenshaw to the Strip, Brassroots District is back with a new single, a full-length album on the way, and an album release residency at Jewel’s Catch One this February and March, 1974
 
Their latest single, “Aim High,” out today via For The People Records, pulses with searing horns, thumping bass, and an infectious groove. Delivered with the playful call-and-response vocals of co-leads Ursa Major and Copper Jones, it’s a dance floor sermon for anyone who’s ever been told to stay in their lane. “Take a risk. Bet on yourself. Leave your cares behind,” says Major. “And get your ass on the floor.”

The track is the fifth release from the District’s long-awaited debut album Brassroots District, which drops January 29th via newly formed For The People Records, founded by Ursa’s brother Gil Williams. The album includes the fan-favorite single “Together,” which has been climbing the charts on KTNQ and KHJ with its message of unity across race, religion, and rhythm. The release marks a new chapter for the band and the label alike – a DIY family operation, built on vision, values, and volume.

Formed in mid-1972 after a chance meeting on the streets of New Orleans, Brassroots District began when Ursa Major invited a then-unknown Copper Jones to sit in with her band, Ursa Major and the Constellations, during a gig at Preservation Hall. A van breakdown in Joshua Tree turned into a month of music, soul-searching, and desert romance – and the band was born under the stars.

Since then, the group has become a fixture of LA’s underground funk scene, selling out shows from Crenshaw to the Sunset Strip. Their 9-piece lineup is a multiracial, multigender ensemble with a message – and a movement – to match. Comparisons to Sly and the Family Stone are common, but ultimately misguided: Brassroots District has a soul and a sound all their own.