Thomas Gould (vln); Ewan Bleach (clt); Louisa Jones (vcl); Jean-Marie Fagon (gtr); Dave O'Brien (bs).
Man Overboard are unique in Hot Club circles - at least in my experience they are - not only do they avoid, to a certain extent, overdoing the sluggish (chuggish?) pulsation of the originals - Django keeping his relatives in a job? - they maintain the same feel whilst still swinging.
The addition of clarinet alongside Gould's violin playing - as good as anything this side of Tim Kliphuis (Emma Fisk a notable exception) - make this an alternative look at Hot Club music which is well worthy of its predecessors. Although I must say that very occasionally the music comes over as slightly corny (think Pee Wee Hunt's Twelfth St. Rag*)
This, their second CD, is, nevertheless, a welcome addition to the genre and complements their previous offering. Bleach can swing those strings and Jones' vocals incorporate hints of Billie, Bessie and maybe Annette Hanshawe and Ruth Etting - whatever - the amalgam comes out as pure Louisa!
A band to enjoy on record and then find out where they are playing live for an even greater experience!
Maybe one day they will travel north - they won't need a map as Monsieur Fagon has un histoire a la Sunderland and his feature on Fats Waller's I Wish I Were Twins is far removed from the days when he hung out with the Toy Dolls!
Man Overboard: Down in the deep, deep blue is due to be released in March on Champs Hill Records CHR CD 089
Lance.Man Overboard: Down in the deep, deep blue is due to be released in March on Champs Hill Records CHR CD 089
* Twelfth St. Rag sold a million copies so maybe....
1 comment :
Louisa Jones hails from the north east and a while ago recorded with some of the region's best jazz musicians. Man Overboard were heard on In Tune, Radio 3 last year.
Post a Comment