SaxKixAve, a New Orleans music duo, is known for its comical performances and funny social media posts, but its musical talent and versatility are no joke.
Rapper Alfred Banks and saxophonist and producer Albert Allenback formed SaxKixAve in 2019. They met in 2018 when Banks went on tour with Tank and the Bangas, a four-time Grammy-nominated music group Allenback was a member of for nine years.
Since joining forces, Allenback and Banks have combined their love for music and laughter to create instrumentally experimental and lyrically clever music that is transparent, playful and uplifting.
Their December 2024 album, “Terrell Charbonneau,” takes the listener on an audible ride featuring Banks’ head-bobbing flows and Allenback expertly playing a range of instruments including saxophone, flute, piano, bass, guitar, keyboards, chimes, synths and drums.
“Terrell Charbonneau is the DNA of both of us,” Allenback said. “Terrell Charbonneau is almost a third person that we make together. It’s the gestalt, the sum of our parts.”
The hip-hop album, titled after their middle names, features New Orleans artists like La Reezy, Mac, and Kr3wcial. When asked about their favorite songs on the album, both Banks and Allenback agreed on “Arctic” and “Tryna Get Down.” While the songs have different tempos, they both convey the message of working hard, pursuing their passions and waiting for their moment to shine.
SaxKixAve is already on its journey to stardom. The duo has performed at the French Quarter Festival, a Pelicans game at the Smoothie King Center and at the X Games. Their music has played nationwide on Sirius XM’s Hip Hop Nation radio station. This year, the duo plans to release a live album and make new music with local artists.
The future’s looking even brighter for the rising artists. As Banks assures himself in “Artic,” “It’s shining bright cause ya passionate, so wear ya shades cause you asked for this.”
