Youngblood Brass Band & Mike Dillon's GoGo Jungle
April 14, 2007
Youngblood Brass Band is focused on creating consistently progressive, acoustic (the band is made up of 3 drummers, 5 horn players, a sousaphonist and an MC) music, employing whatever means necessary to do so. Referred to as “…the Midwest’s answer to The Roots” (The Village Voice) with fiery descriptors like “Hiphop/Horn hypernauts that will silence all you haters…” (Spin), the nine-member ensemble born in Wisconsin now hails from all over the United States (New York, NY / San Francisco, CA / Chicago, IL / Madison, WI). They have been touring throughout Europe and the States for the past five years, having performed in over a dozen countries and at some of the most prestigious music festivals in the world – Roskilde, Lowlands, Pukkelpop, Glastonbury, Womad, North Sea Jazz, Blue Note, Big Chill, etc. Their intense on-stage aesthetic secured their status as an incredible group to see live whether in an intimate small club setting or an international festival stage.

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Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Mike Dillon's musical history runs deep. In the late '80s and early '90s, he was a member of the pivotal Texas bands Billy Goat and Hairy Apes BMX. He soon moved onto acclaimed experimental and improvisational bands like The Malachy Papers, Critters Buggin and Garage A Trois, all of which are situations in which he still plays to this day. Dillon's reputation also led to collaborations with MC 900 Ft. Jesus, Super Chiefs 3, Polyphonic Spree and Sex Mob. A percussionist by trade, Dillon re-discovered the vibraphone while battling drug addiction. After a six month morphine binge, he was penniless and looking for a fix. Having no more gear to pawn except his vibes, he kicked drugs cold turkey and began learning Thelonious Monk's "Well You Needn't." MikeD, as he is called, is known to furiously circulate around the country, simultaneously calling Austin, New Orleans and Kansas City home. These nomadic experiences led him to his highest profile gigs yet: recording and touring the world as a percussionist with both Ani DiFranco and Les Claypool's Frog Brigade, projects which have been a mainstay of his world for the past several years. And yet somehow in the midst of all this, Dillon put together Go-Go Jungle in early 2006. The band features Dillon's longtime musical co-conspirators, including Mark Southerland on tenor saxophone, JJ “Jungle” Richards and Ron Johnson on bass guitar and “Go-Go” Ray Pollard on drums.

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Band Information
Youngblood Brass Band
D.H. Skogen - percussion/vocals
Tom Reschke - percussion
Jonah Gaster - percussion
Kenny Bentley - sousaphone
Charley Wagner - trumpet
Mike Boman - trumpet
Tony Barba - saxophones
Joseph Goltz - trombone
Matt Hanzelka - trombone

Mike Dillon's GoGo Jungle
Mike Dillon - Vibes, Percussion, Vocals
JJ Jungle - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Go-Go Ray (Drum Counselor) - Drums, Vocals