Few things compare to seeing a brass band in full power. They need no amplification and are powered by co-operatives using collective lung capacity.

But the sound had become shorthand for days gone by (closing mines, Brassed Off, soundtracks to adverts using nostalgia to sell products).

Still, when Brighton’s Tru Thoughts signed up Hot 8 Brass Band six years ago after head honcho Robert Luis spotted a serious dancefloor reaction on spinning the group’s cover of Sexual Healing, he knew there was something going on.

Since then, New Orleans’ Hot 8 have played in Brighton several times. They were back again in the city last night.

Up in London, despite the far-fetched name, Hackney Colliery Band have gathered a following for their fusion of brass, hip-hop, funk and jazz.

Further north, in Manchester, Riot Jazz Brass Band have just released Sousmaphone, which they describe as “peace-lovin’ aggro-jazz”.

Riot jazz is a term first used by another group of Americans, Youngblood Brass Band from Wisconsin, who have recently joined Hot 8 on the roster at the Brighton label.

“We half tongue-in-cheek coined riot jazz,” explains David Henzie-Skogen, Youngblood singer, producer and dummer, speaking to The Guide from the US a few weeks before the ten-piece arrive for a show to celebrate the release of Pax Volumi on Tru Thoughts.

“When the last record came out it took hold a lot more than we expected it to. It was a sticker on the album. Now there is a radio show called riot jazz, a band called Riot Jazz, and the reason we came up with the phrase was almost a joke at the idea you had to fit into some general genre.”

A bunch of schoolmates began Youngblood Brass Band back in 1995 by fusing New Orleans brass band music with punk, jazz and hip-hop.

Rapper Talib Kweli sung on the group’s second album Unlearn in 2000 and groups such as Fugazi are as much an influence as America’s black musical heritage.

After a string of albums for US label Ozone, it’s been seven years since 2006’s Is That A Riot? fused social commentary and politics with jazz, brass, punk and rap.

Henzie-Skogen says Pax Volumi is the sound of the band finding a more artful way of getting their message across.

“Ten years ago we were a lot more interested in soapboxing. Back when George Bush was president we were running around doing the ‘F*** George Bush’ thing and it was too easy.”

Tru Thoughts liked what they heard and that was good enough for Youngblood.

“I asked the guys in Hot 8 how they felt about Tru Thoughts and they said they were good people.

“Because we are a fairly unorthodox band, we don’t fit on a straight hip-hop label, we don’t fit on a jazz or electro label, but everybody at Tru Thoughts are genuine music fans who are not concerned with where it fits. What’s important to them is the record.”