Puppet Mischief

Ellis, John & Double-Wide
Obliqsound
Jazz | Mar 2010

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2010-03-28
JOHN ELLIS & DOUBLE-WIDE: Puppet Mischief
ObliqSound, 2010

MODERN JAZZ – Ellis’s quartet (expanded to sextet on several tracks) blends New Orleans-style grooves with oblique modern jazz for something less predictable and more subtle than it first appears: happy riffs suddenly change into strange carnival bounces or moody introspection, then snap back like rubber bands. Good-natured and fun.

* * * * | All tracks pretty nifty… Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

1. 8:01 – good-time midtempo slide; calm harmonica reverie in the middle
2. 6:28 – happy cartoonish stomp with strolling solo breaks
3. 7:37 – melody steps cautiously through shadows & kitschy suspense
4. 7:39 – lightly propulsive: flying sax, agitated harmonica, skidding drums
5. 7:44 – mysterious carnival: tiptoes and spins lazily, wah-wah trombone
6. 5:46 – the carnival begins! upbeat and bouncy; lots of activity here
7. 1:37 – slow, brooding interlude
8. 8:48 – perky, handclap-driven theme leads to exotic intrigue, eloquent solos
9. 7:43 – relaxed, gospel-tinged sway; soulful harmonica & sax solos

[ Fo ] 03/28/10

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Charting

2010-03-28 — 2010-05-30 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
May 2 1
Apr 25 1
Apr 18 1
Apr 11 1
Apr 4 3

Track listing

1. Okra & Tomatoes
2. Fauxfessor
3. Dewey Dah
4. Puppet Mischief
5. Carousel
6. Dublinland Carnival
7. Chorale
8. Héroes De Acción
9. This Too Shall Pass