Gemini Rising

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band certainly knew how to have a good time while playing their music. Their spirited blending of New Orleans jazz parade rhythms with R&B-ish horn riffs made them flexible enough to welcome guests Dr. John (who sings and play piano on "It's All Over Now"), Dizzy Gillespie ("Ooh-Pop-A-Dah"), and Branford Marsalis ("Moose the Mooche") to their Columbia debut without altering their music at all. With Gregory Davis and Efrem Towns playing strong trumpet in the ensembles and occasional solos, and with sousaphonist Kirk Joseph not letting up for a moment, this is a typically spirited set by the unique DDBB.

The term experience almost inevitably raises the question: What’s the significance of the album title? After all, the name Stormchild has come up before: 1985 saw the arrival of Mad Max’s album Stormchild, which has fuelled their fans’ requests to resurrect this character ever since. “Stormchild is our warrior who battles for everything good in the world, not with weapons but with rock songs. We had Kai Brockschmidt (Pretty Maids, Pink Cream 69, among others) update him for the new cover artwork and practically revived him,” comment Mad Max, forging an arc to the early days of their career. Mad Max “Stormchild Rising” will be released on August 21st via Steamhammer / SPV Records.