Stormy, Husky, Brawling takes its name from the fourth line of the poem Chicago, written by Carl Sandburg in 1916 when Chicago was the heart of the meatpacking and railroad industries. When bass trombonist Sun He commissioned the piece, he mentioned a deep love for Chicago, adding, "I remember the first time I walked on the street in Chicago, by the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt, and how I felt the energy of this city almost brought my blood to a boil..." These images inspire a work that conveys the beating pulse of the city as well as its grandeur.