Kermit Ruffins

Kermit Ruffins
Kermit Ruffins at the 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Background information
Birth name	Kermit Ruffins
Born	(1964-12-19) December 19, 1964 (age 52)
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana U.S.
Genres	Jazz Rhythm and blues
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Trumpet vocals
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Basin Street, Putumayo, Justice
Associated acts	Rebirth Brass Band Danny Barker Dr. Michael White Irvin Mayfield

Kermit Ruffins (born December 19, 1964) is an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He has been influenced by Louis Armstrong and Louis Jordan and says that the highest note he can hit on trumpet is a high C. He often accompanies his songs with his own vocals. Most of his bands perform New Orleans jazz standards, though he also composes many of his own pieces. Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Ruffins is an unabashed entertainer who plays trumpet with a bright, silvery tone, sings with off-the-cuff charm and never gets too abstruse in his material."

He started playing trumpet in 8th grade at Lawless Junior High School in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. He attended Joseph S. Clark High School in the 6th Ward. In high school, he played a little bit of classical music at the behest of a strict band teacher.

He developed an appreciation for cooking from his grandmother, observing her movements in the kitchen.

Kermit Ruffins co-founded the Rebirth Brass Band in 1983 while attending Clark High School, in the Tremé neighborhood. He made his first recordings with the Rebirth in 1984. The group was inspired by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a band of slightly older musicians credited with bringing influences of funk and contemporary bebop into New Orleans style brass bands. Before they achieved the popularity allowing them to play regularly in local music venues, the Rebirth often busked around the French Quarter for tips. They soon became a "house band" at the Glass House, previously the Dirty Dozen's home venue. Rebirth once had a gig in New York City at Lone Star Cafe, but were hassled by police for having no permit when they began marching outdoors as is common practice in New Orleans.