BIO
Bad Cactus Brass Band has been bringing joyful second line beats, unstoppable funk grooves, and New Orleans street jazz to the Phoenix metro since 2009. With trumpets, saxophone, trombones, sousaphone, marching drums, and plenty of singing and shouting, their stage show is a boisterous, high-energy party. They play at nightclubs, festivals, weddings, funerals, and anywhere else that music can make a difference. The band has toured the southwest, released four albums, opened for major New Orleans acts, and created festivals.
Bad Cactus Brass Band’s new album “Back For Another Round” - already complete, and due to be released in November 2024 - is a celebratory return from a six-year hiatus. It features hilarious songwriting drawing from hip-hop, latin rock, ska, and soul, together with funky covers and collaborations with great Phoenix vocalists.
CURRENT MEMBERS
Danny Doyle
Trumpet
Michael "Gooch" Gurciullo
Trumpet
Elliot Ventimiglia
Saxophone
Benjie Messer
Trombone
Jon Dhuse
Trombone
Mickey Guinagh
Sousaphone
Chris Canby
Snare Drum
Ethan Baxley
Bass Drum
We're a band, but we're also a big extended family. Much love to everyone who has spent time on stage
with Bad Cactus over the years, including:
Joe Amos, Wes Anderson, Ryan Anthony, Buddy Apfel, Ted Belledin, Brandon Blackburn, Dan Blaker, Kevin Bock, Gannon Burleigh, Glen Butler, Robbie Carillo, Mike Crotty, Glenwood Crowe, Janet Daniel, Jayson Davis, Kimberly DeSantis, Jordan Drum, Jacob Eary, Tim Fleegle, Bryan Geraci, Max Goldschmid, Andy Gonzalez, Seth Gory, Chilli Willi Groove, Chris Gurtcheff, Connor Hailey, Mike Hall, Gabe Hall-Rodriguez, Jeff Hattasch, Wes Hawkins, Eric Hessel, Joe Hopkins, John "Donny" Hopkins, Dave Ihlenfeld, Aleks Izotov, Terrance James, Jeff Jann, Vince Kaufmann, Mikel Lander, Jeremy Lappitt, Ken Levine, Steve Limpert, Shea Marshall, Steve McCarvel, John Meier, Denny Monce, Aldy Montufar, Meridith Moore, Danny Morrisett, Mike Moynihan, Mike Ozuna, Eddie Boh Paris, Jesse Parker, Carson Parks, Byron "L.B." Pearson, Chris Peña, Mary Petrich, Dan Petrosino, Sam Pilafian, Marc Placencia, Bob Powers, Dan Puccio, Adam Roberts, Marvin Scott, John Michael Sherman, Brad Stell, Jake Sveum, Nathan Swift, Kevin Tangney, Ken Taylor, Erik Teichmann, Jordan Tompkins, Tommy Tucker, Mike Vax, Matt Watson, Nick Watts, James Williams, Mark Witt, Jesse Lee Yarbrough, Andy Ziker, and Scott Zimmer.