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Travellin’ Blue Kings—Hold Your Horses—Independent

This excellent record comes from Belgians, JB Biesmans on
vocals, sax and harp, Jimmy Hontelé on guitar and backing
vocals, Patrick Cuyvers on Hammond, piano and backing
vocals, Winne Penninckx on bass and Marc Gijbels on drums.

The title tracks is a cool, jazzy piece with some delightful
unison playing which really adds to the groove. There are two
versions of ‘Never Never Land’, one with strings by Dries de
Haas and one without, quite a strange idea, as the tune is not
noticeably improved by the addition?!

The opener ‘Too Many People’, previously released as a single, is a rocky stomper with a nice
bass register guitar part. ‘Hold Your Horses’ is a real rocker too with hard edged vocals and
some excellent ensemble work complete with some swirling B3. A real foot tapper.

Some excellent stuff here. Check it out. You won’t regret it!

Ian K McKenzie

Jimmy Carpenter—The Louisiana Record—Gulf Coast
Records

What a cracker of record this is. Jimmy Carpenter is an award
winning saxman who has made this album a celebration of his
ten years living and working in New Orleans.

Encouraged to work on this album by guitarist Mike Zito, who
is the head-honcho of Gulf Coast Records, Jimmy has put
together a house band made up of Mike Zito (guitars),
Casandra Faulconer (bass guitar), John Gros (piano, organ),
and Wayne Maureau (drums) and they produce a stunning
soundscape.

Jimmy has selected tunes with strong Louisiana roots, ‘I Hear You Knockin’’ from Smiley
Lewis, witten by Dave Bartholomew and often (erroneously) attributed to Fats Domino; ‘Bring
it on Home’ by Sam Cooke; ‘Travelin’ Mood’ from Dr John; James Carr’s ‘Pouring Water On a
Drowning Man; and a stunning version of Alan Lee’s ‘Rockin’ at Cosimo’s’ with some cracking
‘second line’ drumming from Wayne Moreau. ‘Barefootin’’ from Robert Parker is a stunner

too.

The band is as tight as a duck’s rear end (and that’s watertight), the arrangements are
stunning and as if that’s not enough, Mike Zito’s axe work matches Jimmy’s sax playing in its
exuberance and technical proficiency.

Simply wonderful! Order it NOW

Ian K McKenzie