Interesting and valid observations from lox and Frank. I do not disagree at all ~ the point I was trying to make is that contemporary N.O. brass band funk (or even electric-organ-and-guitar-band funk per, say, The Meters) is directly descended from early jazz, shares many of its characteristics, and is essentially another branch of the same tree that also includes the cooler and much more cerebral music that is generally recognized as "jazz."

More on Kermit:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=33301

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=1414

http://www.satchmo.com/nolavl/kermit.html

(Wikipedia has an article on Kermit, too.)