Nation Beat is the vibrantly realized musical vision of its leader and founder, Scott Kettner. A drummer, percussionist, composer and educator in New Jersey, Kettner formed Nation Beat to merge his jazz foundation with Brazilian rhythm. Expanding his vision, he incorporated funk with Brazilian beats, jazz improvisation and, as heard in the sonically rich new Nation Beat album, Archaic Humans, New Orleans brass band music. Rap makes seamless appearances, too, via Washington, D.C.’s Christylez Bacon.

Archaic Humans opens with a graceful, brief brass band prelude, “Try Try Try.” Track two, “Silence Tribes,” leaps to the joyful sound that distinguishes most of the album. It’s very much like a New Orleans brass band instrumental, albeit more extensively composed and arranged. Likewise, “Maracatu Gigante,” the title of which cites a Brazilian musical style, maracatu, which merges African percussion with Portuguese melodies.

The album’s dance-inducing title piece, “Archaic Humans,” grooves with Cuban flare and funky New Orleans brass band strut. Nation Beat—featuring Kettner plus tenor saxophonist Paul Carlon, trumpeter Mark Collins, trombonist Tom McHugh and sousaphone player Heather Ewer—obviously is having a ball playing its hybrid music.

Despite a closely adhered to concept, Archaic Humans holds enough variety to stay interesting. Guest percussionists Luca Texeira and Michael Spiro help make that possible, as does another guest, South African singer Melanie Scholtz. And Bacon returns for shout outs to Brazil, Louisiana, New Orleans and zydeco in the album’s finale, “A New Flow.”