Reviewed: 2018-08-04
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: The cabaret is strong with this sextet. They do a great job at mixing gypsy jazz, trad jazz and pre-war pop into a slightly tawdry but never tacky frission, and, at the same time, they also have a large streak of Americana running through several songs. It’s like two bands in one, equally strong.
If You Like: Manhattan Transfer, Paris Combo, Allison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Gaucho
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
** Lost Soul (3:24) – drums starts> swinging fast song> trumpet solo> song> sax solo> song> clarinet solo> song> quick stop
*2/ Lady Luck (4:13) – sax starts> uptempo swinging song> sax solo> song> clarinet solo> song> quick stop
3/ Paint & Pageantry (4:07) – guitar starts> slow ballad> quick stop
4/ Hard Way Of Living When You’re Dead (3:42) – piano starts> uptempo swinging song> sax solo> song> fade on cello
5/ Rio Grande (5:45) – piano starts> midtempo country song with chorus> slow fade
*6/ The Alchemist (3:13) – accordion starts> slow polka & song> band swings uptempo> quick stop
7/ Saints & Sinners (4:18) – guitar starts> slow ballad> band swings quickly uptempo> uptempo song> trumpet solo> uptempo song> clarinet solo> song slows to midtempo, then swings back up tempo> sax solo slows to stop
*8/ Canary In a Cave (3:45) – guitar starts> slow country ballad with echoing guitar & haunting vocals> quick fade on vocal
*9/ Burn (4:27) – sax starts> uptempo swinging song> piano solo> uptempo song> clarinet solo> song> quick stop
**10/ Poplar Tree (4:37) – guitar starts> slow song with longing vocal> builds in volume with additional instruments> slows to stop with minimum accompaniment