Big Chief Brian Shares the Roots of Nouveau Bounce Before Jazz Fest Thursday

Big Chief Brian Nelson, screenshot from live video

Big Chief Brian and the Nouveau Bounce will perform Thursday at 12:50 p.m. on the Congo Square Stage with guests Cyril Neville, Bill Summers, and Cheeky Blakk. 

Brian Harrison Nelson has history in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition as the grandson of Big Chief Donald Harrison of Guardians of the Flame, nephew of Donald Harrison Jr., and son of Cherice Nelson-Harrison, founder of the Mardi Gras Indians Hall of Fame. 

It’s no surprise then that when we asked him for his “Milky Way,” the eight songs that chart his musical universe, some classic New Orleans influences show up. His guest stars hint at that too with New Orleans musical lifers Cyril Neville and Bill Summers. 

Similarly, Cheeky Blakk gives us a hint as to what he means by “nouveau bounce,” and the list does too.

The clearest guide is a yet-to-be version of “Ooh-Nah-Nay” that they recorded with Juvenile, Ha-Sizzle, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Christian Scott, Donald Harrison Jr., and Allie Baby that was produced by long-time bounce producer BlaqNmilD. Its relaxed tempo is more in keeping with the first generation of bounce, and some of the classic bounce samples punctuate the song. 

The structure and subject matter is classic Mardi Gras Indians, and if I don’t hear live percussion in the mix alongside the drum programming, you can easily imagine it. 

One of the cleverest touches comes when what sounds like a foundational bounce sample–a James Brown shout–turns into a horn squeal. It honors one of the staples of bounce and adds an unexpected sound to the rich mix. 

"Ooh-Nah-Nay" - Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. 

This one is family. My grandfather recorded the original version with the Young Guardians of the Flame in 1998. It carries the pure spirit of our tradition. I’ve reimagined it for a new generation with Juvenile, Ha-Sizzle, and Jelly Joseph. It’s the thread that ties it all together.

"Nouveau Swing" - Donald Harrison Jr.

My uncle taught me the art of blending the old with the new. His Nouveau Swing concept opened the door for me to create Nouveau Bounce. I’m walking the path he laid down but with my own drumbeat.

"Brother John" - The Neville Brothers

The Neville Brothers are the soul of New Orleans. “Brother John” hits that mix of spiritual depth and funky truth. Their music made me feel like you could pray and dance at the same time. That’s exactly what we do in the streets. This song is especially meaningful because it was one of the first Mardi Gras Indian songs my grandfather taught me to sing as a child. He’d play it for me and teach me to improvise our culture’s chants through it. Later, he assigned it as my feature performance in the Guardians of the Flame musical stage show. I was just a kid, but that moment put me on the path I walk today.

Fight the Power" - Public Enemy

This song was more than a political anthem to me; it was a spiritual charge. In the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, we say “No Hum Bow,” meaning we don’t bow down to anyone or anything. That mindset shaped me early, and Public Enemy was part of that. I remember my Aunt Michele taking me to my very first rap concert as a child. Public Enemy was on stage, and I was blown away. Their energy, their presence, the way they moved the crowd—I’ve carried that with me ever since.

"I Walk on Guilded Splinters" - Dr. John

Mystical, swampy, and spiritual. This track is conjure music. It captures the same ancestral energy I tap into when I mask, perform, and create. It sounds like firelight, feathers, and spirits whispering through a backbeat. That’s the world I come from.

"Back That Azz Up" - Juvenile

This was our bounce anthem growing up. And now having Juvenile featured on my first single from the new album? That’s full-circle. That’s New Orleans.

"Grazing in the Grass" - Hugh Masekela

This is pure joy. Masekela made African jazz feel like sunshine. His horn carried celebration, rhythm, and power. That kind of joy is at the center of Nouveau Bounce.

"So Many Tears" - 2Pac

This track hit me in a different way. Tupac poured his pain into poetry, and I felt every line. As someone carrying a family legacy, leading a tribe, and building something new out of something ancient, I know what it feels like to walk with weight. Sometimes the feathers are heavy. This song reminds me I’m not the only one who walks with loss and keeps going. It’s spiritual. It’s honest. It’s survival music.