Bossaphonik Presents The Brass Funkeys + Papa Nui

Event information

Happy New Year!

**Earlier start – live music will start at 9pm**

Bossaphonik 2026 kicks off with a splendid double bill of uplifting dancefloor grooves courtesy of The Brass Funkeys and Papa Nui.

The Brass Funkeys are trailblazers in the new generation of UK Brass Bands. Over 14 years of tearing up clubs and festival stages across the UK and Europe, they’ve refined an eclectic and powerful sound that brims with creativity, groove, and infectious energy, marrying the vibrancy of New Orleans with multiple globe spanning influences. Having graced the main stages of Glastonbury, Boomtown, Wilderness, Love Supreme, Lost Village, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, as well as iconic venues like Ronnie Scott’s, KOKO, and the Cambridge Corn Exchange, in Summer 2025 they returned to their up close and personal street performance roots to win the Haizetara International Street Band Festival in Spain.
Their latest album ‘BLOW HORN!’ is set to release in early 2026 alongside a 9-date Mardi Gras inspired UK tour. Their new sound draws on influences from Drum ‘n’ Bass through Afrobeat to Mauritian Sega; 'BLOW HORN!' showcases modern brass music at its best.

“Brass has not been this good since that time Reel Big Fish covered A-Ha… The Brass Funkeys are my favourite band. 10/10” VICE Magazine: Noisey Music

“Terrific… what a band” James Morrison, BBC Radio 2

Check out a promo collage video of band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG2y5M6FFdY

Check out a summer highlights video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp6kw46Kc9g

Opening this evening’s feast of live dance music is a band that probably doesn’t need an introduction to many Oxford-based music lovers. Papa Nui have been the mainstay of groove-based music local to Oxford for over 10 years and this will be their third appearance at Bossaphonik. Their genre-fluid personality skips between the grooves of funk, ska, reggae, blues, Balkan and Afrobeat with the occasional spot of bluegrass thrown in – always setting the dance floor on fire. Now with a 7-piece line up of harmonica, guitar, bass, drums and a trumpet/trombone horn section, the whole band all sing creating a joyful sound. Using their catchy tunes to bring in the crowd the band always take their audience on an exciting adventure, leaving everyone completely soul-satisfied.

Check out a video of Papa Nui reinventing a Shirley Ellis song, The Clapping Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkxcXwDSh1o

Check out Papa Nui performing “Leap Frog” at the Shipston Proms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUkbJc1MgcI

After the pleasures of the live music will be a Bossaphonik club session with guest DJ Boomshank – an Oxford-based DJ who regularly spins at The Library pub. Also a splendid saxophonist who plays in the formidable swing-jazz-grime-hip hop Dutty Moonshine Big Band. He has been part of Oxford's own brass band funksters Temple Funk Collective and also live drum 'n' bass outfit Confidential Collective. Together with Bossaphonik resident DJ Dan Ofer, they will treat the dancefloor til 1:30am to the sounds of…

Jazz Funk * Afrobeat * Afro Jazz * Brazilica * Latin Jazz * Cumbia * Global Hip Hop * Balkan Beats * Soul Jazz * Electro Swing * Global Grooves Galore * Nu Jazz Bizniz!

Friday 16th
Bossaphonik Presents The Brass Funkeys + Papa Nui + Guest DJ Boomshank
Cowley Workers Social Club, Between Towns Road. OX4 3LZ (Near Templars Square Shopping Centre. Regular buses 1 and 5 go from City Centre up Cowley Road and back til 2:55am, stopping opposite the venue)
8pm – 1:30am,

**Earlier start** live music starts at 9:00pm. Please arrive early - beat the queue!

£14 advance + £1.40 booking fee (wegottickets.com) / £16 student ID on door / £19 door

Hope to see ya there!