TOO MANY ZOOZ

Biography

Too Many Zooz is an American brass band formed in mid-2013 in New York City, consisting of Leo Pellegrino on baritone saxophone (originally from Pittsburgh), Matt 'Doe' Muirhead on trumpet (from Boston), and David 'King of Sludge' Parks on drums (from Indianapolis). Pellegrino and Muirhead met while studying at the Manhattan School of Music, where their experimental style was often frowned upon by traditional instructors; Pellegrino had switched from clarinet—inspired by his father's accordion playing and later John Coltrane—to saxophone in high school. Parks had previously played with Pellegrino in the busking band Drumadics. The trio began busking in New York City Subway stations, particularly Union Square, developing their signature 'brass house' sound—a high-energy fusion of jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, funk, EDM, and house music—tested on diverse crowds for immediate feedback.[1][2][4][5]

Their career exploded after a March 2014 subway performance video went viral on YouTube and Reddit, leading to sold-out shows like Brooklyn Bowl, international tours, and commercial placements. They self-released EPs starting with F NOTE (2014), followed by full-length albums Subway Gawdz (2016)—featuring tracks like 'Warriors' in Google Pixel ads and Eurovision—and Retail Therapy (2024). Viral fame caught Beyoncé's attention, resulting in contributions to her 2016 'Lemonade' track 'Daddy Lessons' after she and her daughter danced to their videos; they've since shared stages with artists like The Chicks, Lizzo, and Big Freedia.[1][2][4][5]

Too Many Zooz's legacy lies in their subway-to-stardom rise, embodying DIY ethos and genre-blending innovation that challenges brass band norms. Their subway origins provided a unique 'focus group' for refining music, building a global fanbase without major label support, and influencing modern brass ensembles through relentless touring and social media presence.[1][3][4][6]

Fun Facts

• The band name 'Too Many Zooz' was borrowed from friends brainstorming names for their own group; they added a 'z' to make it their own, admitting they're 'pretty bad at naming songs.'[1][6]
• Leo Pellegrino started on clarinet playing Italian polkas with his accordionist father before John Coltrane inspired his saxophone switch; he joined high school band when their baritone sax player was expelled.[2]
• Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy danced to their subway videos, leading her team to recruit them directly for 'Daddy Lessons' instead of recreating the sound.[2][4]
• Subway busking acted as their 'focus group' with new audiences every 10 minutes, providing honest reactions to test new music.[4][6]

Members

• Matt Muirhead - trumpet
• David Parks - drums (drum set)
• Leo Pellegrino - baritone saxophone

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• John Coltrane - Primary musical inspiration for Leo Pellegrino, prompting his switch from clarinet to saxophone (Coltrane's jazz recordings) [Pellegrino's childhood/high school (pre-2013)]

Key Collaborators

• Beyoncé - Recorded brass parts after she saw their viral subway videos ('Daddy Lessons' on Lemonade album; performed at Country Music Awards) [2016]
• Leo Pellegrino and David Parks (pre-TMZ) - Parks and Pellegrino played together earlier (Drumadics busking band) [Pre-2013]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #brass, #brass-band, #brass-house