Article Contributed by jbleicher.com
Published on November 20, 2025
Groundbreaking LA funk collective returns with a message of unity, self-belief, and serious groove
Groundbreaking LA funk collective Brassroots District return with a message of unity, self-belief, and serious groove as they drop their new single “Aim High” and announce an extended record release residency at historic Jewel’s Catch One in Koreatown, Los Angeles, this February and March, 1974.
Their record release residency will turn one of LA’s most important dance floors into home base for the District’s world of funk, soul, and movement, inviting fans to step into the story night after night.
Record Release Residency – Jewel’s Catch One (Koreatown, LA)
Dates: February 7, 13, 20, 28 & March 7, 14, 20, 28, 1974
Venue: Jewel’s Catch One, Koreatown, Los Angeles
Tickets & info: Call 323-596-1973
After a whirlwind year that saw them tear up a record contract onstage, make headlines in Jet, and bring parking lots to a boil from Crenshaw to the Strip, Brassroots District are stepping into a new era with a fresh single, a full-length album on the way, and an album release residency at the iconic club once known as Jewel’s Catch One.
Out today via For The People Records, “Aim High” surges with the District’s trademark blend of searing horns, thumping bass, and an irresistible, dance floor–first groove. Co-leads Ursa Major and Copper Jones trade playful call-and-response vocals that double as a mission statement for dreamers and dancers alike.
“Take a risk. Bet on yourself. Leave your cares behind,” says Major. “And get your ass on the floor.”
Watch Brassroots District record “Aim High” live in-studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwj084EYTpY
“Aim High” is the fifth track to be released from the band’s long-awaited debut album Brassroots District, arriving 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.
This release marks a new chapter for both the band and the label: 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. Later that year, 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 in LA’s underground funk scene, selling out shows from Crenshaw to the Sunset Strip. Their nine-piece lineup is a multiracial, multigender ensemble with a message — and a movement — to match. Comparisons to Sly & The Family Stone are common, but ultimately miss the mark: Brassroots District have a soul and sound all their own.
It’s been a year since the band opened the parking lot tailgate for Sly & The Family Stone’s concert at the Fabulous Orbit Arena, where they famously turned down a deal from Epic Records. The label had been courting Brassroots District for months, but only under the condition that they cut Ursa Major from the lineup.
Instead, Copper Jones ripped up the contract onstage in front of a sold-out crowd, triggering an explosive confrontation between Epic executives and manager Nancy Parker that LA Weekly later dubbed “the Funky Flameout.”
Now, the band is doubling down — on each other, on the music, and on the dream. Their full album arrives January 29th. The release residency hits the legendary Koreatown club this coming February and March, 1974, bringing the District’s community-driven funk to one of LA’s most storied dance floors.
With “Aim High,” Brassroots District invite you back where it all started: the floor.
