“We’re used to the weather. That’s not a problem,” Stooges Brass Band’s John Cannon responded in a recent interview with a Pakistani radio station. The band just returned from a trip to Pakistan whose goal, in conjunction with the United States Consulate, was to promote cultural appreciation and understanding through their music.

The Stooges Brass Band has always been known for their mélange of sounds—bringing contemporary hip-hop beats to traditional New Orleans brass music—but, in Pakistan, they went further. In Karachi, they joined forces with Pakistani artist Asif Sinan to put a new spin on some of their songs like “Wind It Up,” as well as to add a little brass to popular Pakistani music.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBIslKDnfZY[/youtube]

 

In Lahore, the group performed a workshop and concert at a US-funded after school English program. They played for more than 100 students, including some from the National Museum of Science and Technology:

 

They also played at the Alhamra (the local mall) and at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, and became the first Americans to ever perform in the city of Hyderabad:

 

The trip was in response to a plea from Pakistanis requesting more music missions with America in order to promote peace between our two countries. The United States and Pakistan don’t agree on every diplomatic issue, but the Stooges’ recent tour offers some hope for transcending those tensions. Cannon explained, “It [was] a cultural experience that I don’t think any of us were ready for, but it [was] a great experience, as well. We [had] a great time in Pakistan.”

For more photos of the Stooges Brass Band performing in Islambad, Pakistan, visit the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan’s Facebook page.