Once more, the
Rebirth Brass Band demonstrate their brand of contemporary marching and brass band interplay in vivid fashion. Their menu included a fine reworking of
Louis Jordan and
Big Joe Turner R&B classics like "Caledonia" and "Flip, Flop & Fly" into a bubbling medley, plus the original danceable, frenetic numbers "Tornado Special" and "Steppin' Out." The group's range is broad enough to include works by
Rick James and reggae from
Steel Pulse; their songs are long enough to showcase the individual members' brilliance and accent their facility and ensemble skills, but not so long that they become ponderous or lose their energy. Other than
the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (still the genre's greatest modern group), the Rebirth unit stands at the head of its class. ~ Ron Wynn