Vinyl may be long dead, but jazz and rock aren't as indicated by unusual-sounding bands like New York-based Drums & Tuba.

Neither genre will be the same, however, in the wake of the New York-based band's new album, "Vinyl Killer," a looping, effects-driven mix of experimental jazz, punk-funk and New Orleans-inspired brass band music.

The band's fourth disc overall and first for funky folk diva Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe indie, "Vinyl Killer" will come to life this month throughout the remainder of the ARTISTdirect.com SnoCore 2001 Icicle Ball.

The funky companion to the annual winter alternative rock jaunt, the SnoCore Tour, the Icicle Ball also will feature the New Orleans jazz-groove unit Galactic and Primus bassist Les Claypool's Frog Brigade.

"It's a helluva tour," says Galactic singer Theryl de Clouet. "Them Drums & Tuba cats are kickin'. We went out for six weeks with them before. They're new record sounds like they're really into it."

Produced by DiFranco and her husband, Andrew "Goat Boy" Gilchrist, "Vinyl Killer" is a grand but focused progression from Drums & Tuba's first three outings on the Princeton-based My Pal God, says Brian Wolff, the band's founding tuba player.

"It was really a great experience working with them," Wolff says. "They helped us iron out a lot of our songs, cutting the frivolous and unnecessary stuff and focusing more on song composition. We basically recorded everything live in the studio, but they really helped us edit during the recording process. I think this album is a great deal more mature. I think the songs are a little more focused and not quite in such a rush to get to the next part. I have incredible respect for how Ani's done all that she has on her own terms. The only other artist I can think of that's built that kind of success completely on their own terms -- never having been signed to a record label -- is Fugazi.

"We started touring with Ani a couple of years ago," he adds. "We were pretty close to permanently disbanding feeling that it just wasn't worth getting together every once in a while because no one came to the shows. We got a call from Righteous Babe Records and we figured it was too good an opportunity to pass up. We had probably never played to more than 75 people at that time. Goat had purchased a CD of ours in Austin and liked it. When Ani had a few open dates, he recommended us as an opener. We all just hit it off. In many ways, those guys are responsible for keeping us together."

Inspired to play the tuba after seeing the New Orleans-based Rebirth Brass Band, Wolff put down his trumpet and hit the street corners of Austin, Texas, with drummer Tony Nozero. Guitarist Neal McKeeby joined shortly thereafter and a pact was made with My Pal God.

The trio recently relocated to Wolff's hometown of New York and plan to stay out on the road as long as possible in support of "Vinyl Killer."

While Wolff hopes to turn folks onto great tuba music, particularly jazz tuba player Marcus Rojas, he's not expecting to turn the big brass instrument into a guitar-like "chick magnet."

"The tuba is one of those instruments which is kind of a joke to most people but at the same time everybody likes it," Wolff says. "It's really quite a versatile instrument. It's also rather young as orchestral instruments go and I think guys out there are just beginning to use it in different roles. There just aren't that many rock stars out there who play the big brass, but if you love something than it's worth doing no matter how unlikely success might be. It really doesn't matter what instrument you play. It's all just a means of amplification for what you're trying to say. Sometimes it helps to do something unconventional with an instrument because you don't get locked in to what you're supposed to be doing, but in the end it doesn't really matter what you play as long as you play it with all your heart." For more info about Drums & Tuba, visit www.drumsandtuba.com. To find out about the Icicle Ball, visit www.artistdirect.com