Album review: The Joymakers - A Texas-Sized Band (Turtle Bay Records)

Colin Hancock (cornet, alto/baritone sax, mellophone, kazoo, clarinet mouthpiece, vocals, arranger); Luke Allen (trumpet, vocals); Freddie Mendoza (trombone); Lauryn Gould (alto/soprano/tenor sax, vocals, arranger); David "Jelly" Jellema (C melody sax, clarinet, cornet); Dylan Blackthorn (piano accordion); Shane Dickens (piano); Westen Borghesi (tenor banjo, tenor guitar); Ryan Gould (string bass); Ryan Neubauer (drums)

In the beginning there was Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and now there is this!

In between, the original small groups expanded (as did the Joymakers) into larger groups such as Henderson and Ellington and Whiteman and Goldkette. Alongside these "name bands" were a variety of, often superior, bands who became collectively known as "territory bands" operating mainly in the southern states. 

The arrangements, by Hancock and Lauren Gould who also have a vast armory of horns between them, lose nothing in authenticity and the solos are au fait with the idiom as are the vocals. It's a lot of fun and not to be taken too serious although the musicians are obviously dedicated to the music of the twenties and the thirties. Back in the day I would have called these syncopated rhythms pure cornball and only made listenable when Bix, Trumbauer, Nichols or the Dorsey's emerged from the morass of sound.

However, with the passage of time I find myself mellowing in several directions that once were anathema to me and, with repeated playing, I'm coming round. One thing is certain they can certainly "play that thing".

Fans of the House of the Black Gardenia, the New Century Ragtime Orchestra and the regulars at the Classic Jazz Party that are still able to will want to do some Black Bottoming to this one.

Deep Elm (vocal: Hancock); Dreaming 'bout my Man (vocal: L. Gould); The Pay Off (piano solo: Dickens); Somebody Stole my Gal (vocal: Allen); Honey Child (vocal: Allen); He's Tall and Dark and Handsome (vocal: L. Gould); Clap Hands! Here Comes Charley! (vocal: Hancock); Bye Bye Baby (vocal: L. Gould); Lots 'O Mama (solos: L. Gould, Jellema, Mendoza/Hancock, R. Gould*); Daniel's Blues (vocal: Allen); Stomp Off, Let's Go (alto sax: Hancock); Elephant's Wobble (sax mouthpiece and glass: Hancock).

There are more soloists than I've actually listed but ten musicians playing twenty-three instruments (inc. vocals) is more than I can cope with. Hopefully you've got the gist of an album I've working on since April - In the end it was worth it even though there was ne'er a bebop chord in sight - they were still beyond the blue horizon. Lance

*L. Gould (tenor sax), Jellema (cornet), Mendoza (trombone)/Hancock (mellophone), R. Gould (slap bass)