Mike McKoy (narrator, vocals, guitars); Toni Belenguer (trombone); Vicent Coloques (keys); Matt Baker (bass); Ignacio Aguilar (didgeridoo/harmonica).
Let me say first of all that this is the most unusual work I've ever had to review! I'm not quite sure where to begin except to say that, whichever category it is allotted to it will be unbeatable!
Confused? I bet you are! Brilliant? You're darn right! So, let's have the Alfie (What's it all about?)
Imagine an all encompassing work that contains The Bible, The Decameron, Plato, Noel Coward, Charlie Mingus and a whole gang more of musicians, writers, philosophers and ladies of the night!
This is a book with CD that tells the story of one Ludwig Balmoral Manhattan - a Germaican (German mother, Jamaican father.) and his journey of discovery from Bavarian beers, expulsion from church for wearing a colourful hat to his meeting with Jesus (or is it Satan?) that leads him to become an irresistibly attractive partner of a madame in a bordello as well as a drug dealer and a pimp before eventually finding himself. Well that is my interpretation but it is a story that leaves itself open for the listener to decide.
McKoy narrates the action, he also sings in an appealing - if Noel Coward had been a jazzman - voice and plays pleasant rhythmic guitar.
Belenguer blows some lusty trombone that brings to mind Jimmy Knepper with Mingus and Iguilar adds blues harmonica and didgeridoo sounds.
The lyrics are magnificent:
(From The World's a Loveless Toilet)
Yes, the world's a loveless toilet
A cistern for sewage and slush
When it's quite replete
Wash your hands and lower the seat
And for goodness sake
Don't forget to flush!
Eat your heart out Cole Porter!
Dave Gelly, in his introduction, describes the music as "Real songs" with real tunes which you could, if you were so minded, whistle while walking down the street - a phenomenon so rare these days as to be almost revolutionary! I'll go along with that.
The CD comes with book (and I mean book - not the usual 20-20 vision demanding booklet that comes with most CDs!) containing narrativeartwork and lyrics in both English and Spanish.
Love it!
Samples (and purchasing info).
Samples (and purchasing info).
Lance.
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