There are tons of musical genres that come and go after having their quick moment in the sun. The truly classic sounds may not always be at the top of the charts but they will always keep a solid fanbase eager to hear new music in that style. One such genre is soul funk. The way that music can make you feel is like few other styles. The Maxx is a band that has been championing the sound for many years.
The group from Atlanta, Georgia got its start back in 1980. Founding members Rod Whittaker (bass/keyboards/vocals), Leroy “Roc” Lovelace (sax/vocals), and Steven Rollins (guitar) embarked on a journey of incorporating the high energy choreography and musical precision of the soul and funk legends who raised them. Since then, The Maxx picked up fiery vocalist Rainy Middleton along with Dwight Smith (drums), Andre Bernard (trombone/keyboards/vocals) and Menes Ray (trumpet/vocals).
The charismatic group is known for their amazing stage presence. The Maxx has fine tuned their performance by playing over 125 shows a year. In addition to their club shows, The Maxx have been featured everywhere from conventions to corporate events to festivals.
The Maxx doesn’t study soul funk music, they live it.
The latest culmination of The Maxx sound is their EP Funk Box. The 6 track record oozes with the party atmosphere that they still produce after all these years. The opener “Emergency” greets the listener with a high energy sound that will get the body ready to move. “I Can’t Deny” is a fun song with a choppy beat to get the head bopping. Rainy Middleton really gets to feature her amazing voice here with some added background vocals to add to the emotion.
The classic funk sound takes the stage on “Rock With You”. The funky bass groove leads the way with horns coming in to take it to another level. I am ready to rock with whoever is around. The mood slows down with the emotion-laden “Meant To Be”. The love can be felt right through the speakers. The record closes with the bluesy “Love Is Gonna Get Ya”. The male vocals here are from The Soul Of John Black who was also behind most of the production on the record.
The Maxx has put something really great together here. Take a listen on SPOTIFY and keep up with the band HERE.
