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and Brown, although there are no long extended solos here, listen to their playing interlocking on

    the funky 'Do The Romp'.

    Although I'm not personally a big fan of trance blues I have to admit this album does capture the
    essence of the genre, on the surface it may sound basic and simple but it isn't easy to recreate that
    hypnotic, soporific groove.  However, by restricting the material to mainly songs by R. L. Burnside
    and Jr. Kimbrough I think that they are just adding to the lack of variety that their limited
    instrumentation also brings.

    Graham Harrison

                                           Maria Muldaur & Tuba Skinny—Let's Get Happy Together—

                                           Stony Plain—ASIN : B08VYLNX28

                                           Although I'm not particularly a jazz fan over the years I've whiled
                                           away many a happy hour watching Youtube videos of jazz band
                                           Tuba Skinny playing on the streets of New Orleans, their
                                           performances of authentic 1920s Dixieland jazz I find strangely
                                           hypnotic. The band is led by cornet player Shaye Cohn
                                           (granddaughter of jazz great Al Cohn) and has a loose
                                           membership of musicians none of which actually come from the
                                           Crescent City. Now I find that Maria Muldaur is also a fan and
                                           sought them out to perform with her and then they agreed to
                                           record this album together.

    We kick off with 'I Like You Best Of All' originally recorded by the Goofus Five (?) a catchy little
    obscure number picked by Maria and this is followed by the title track written & recorded by Lil
    Hardin Armstrong. 'Delta Bound' was recorded by the Duke Ellington Orchestra with Ivy Anderson
    on vocals and Maria has long wanted to record this song, she also recently discovered 'Swing You
    Sinners' recorded by Valaida Snow - know as 'Little Louis' for her trumpet playing. 'He Ain’t Got
    Rhythm' with clever lyrics by Irving Berlin is based on the version by Billie Holliday, more clever
    lyrics on the perky 'I Go for That' which was originally sung by movie star Dorothy Lamour! 'Some
    Sweet Day' is a melodic blues by Frankie 'Half Pint' Jaxon and the album closes with a down-home
    blues 'Road of Stone' originally recorded in the 1920s by Sweet Pease Spivey, sister of the 'classic'
    blues singer Victoria Spivey - who was Maria's inspiration and mentor.

    This was obviously a labour of love for Maria who got to sing some of her classic jazz and blues
    favourites with some very appropriate backing. Maria's voice is slightly diminished by age but that
    only seems to add to the overall authenticity and the partnership with Tuba Skinny is a marriage
    made in heaven (although I can't help feeling sorry for their usual female vocalist Erika Lewis who
    has to sit out here).

    Graham Harrison

                                           Tomislav Goluban—Express Connection—Blue Heart—ASIN :

                                           B08VRKK3QK

                                           Croatian singer/harmonica player Tomislav “Little Pigeon”
                                           Goluban returned to Memphis to record this album after
                                           recording his previous album 'Memphis Light' there. He uses the
                                           same musicians - Jeff Jensen (guitarist/producer), Rick Steff
                                           (keyboards), Bill Ruffino (bass), drummer David Green and slide
                                           guitarist Mark Johnson - and adds Kirk Smothers (sax) and Marc
                                           Franklin (trumpet) as well as Kelly Zirbes, who sings lead vocals

                                           on two tracks and backup vocals on another four. We begin with
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