Tuba Skinny is a traditional jazz street band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band’s instrumentation includes cornet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, tenor banjo, guitar, frottoir, and vocals. The ensemble draws its inspiration from the early jazz, ragtime, and blues music of the 1920s and 1930s. The group began as an itinerant busking band and has performed around the world.

For over a decade, Tuba Skinny “has grown steadily in popularity, releasing [ten] albums, frequently touring, and attracting high-profile fans from R. Crumb to Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman. They’ve garnered fans from all over the world—young and old, neophytes and niche-enthusiasts.” Their albums have garnered multiple awards, and they have been hailed by Offbeat magazine, The Syncopated Times, and other publications as one of the best traditional early jazz bands performing today.

The band is popular on YouTube with “more than 500 videos, many with 100,000-plus views, in a variety of languages.” However, the ensemble does not have an official YouTube page, and nearly all of the recorded footage is fan-made. The band’s fan base has been described as possessing a “lighthearted, fun, flapper vibe,” a reflection of the Jazz Age time period evoked by their music. Despite the band’s global fame and frequent performances in nightclubs and at jazz festivals, they have continued to perform on the streets of New Orleans and other cities in order to maintain their intimate connection with audiences.