Artist:
Tuba Skinny
Albums:
Rag Band
Release
date: 2012
Quality: mp3
CBR 320
Size: 138 MB
“
It is apt that Tuba Skinny’s new release has the word “Rag” in it. The music
here goes back beyond Dixieland to the early days of jazz when it was better
known as “ragtime,” and those who played it called it “ragging” (or
syncopating) the beat or song. It also indicated an informal, down-home take on
the music. The seven member-strong Tuba Skinny collective definitely has that
going for them. This is shake your booty with a cold-one in your hand music.
Their take on rarely recorded songs such as the sly come-on “Papa’s Got Your
Bath Water On” or Skip James’ cold-blooded murder ballad “Crow Jane” are
poignant, yet fun. Occasionally, the beat wanders or not everyone is in tune,
but the general energy and joy of the music makes the listener forget such
anomalies. And kudos to Tuba Skinny for getting some of the great yet
lesser-played songs of the New Orleans repertoire (particularly the Jelly Roll
Morton tunes including “New Orleans Bump”) back into action.
Nobody
needs to hear another version of “Muskrat Ramble” these days. The only problem
with this recording is that sometimes it takes the informal too far. I like my
music raw, but the audio quality of this disc sounds at times more like a field
recording and less like a studio one. The music can always be heard, but
sometimes the vocals are a little difficult to make out, and instruments that
should be more prominent fall into the background. Again, that doesn’t take
away from the overall feel of Rag Band. Put it on for your next party and see
how low everybody can do the “New Orleans Bump.”
