I Wish You Would (3
Star) Blues Jazz (Instrumental) Billy Boy
Arnold's seminal 1955 song "I Wish You Would"
is done with extreme reverence, yet has a charming
jazz edge delivered via trumpet, and trembled
a bit by the addition of guitar. Very saucy.
Continental
Missile (4
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) The Chantays'
"Continental Missile" seems a very unlikely
vehicle for a trumpet instrumental. The addition
of marimba and vibes is, to say the least, a
brilliant move. It ties into the electric piano
of the original, but also connects with jazz
groups like MJQ. Great drums round out the experiment.
Amazing!
Tom
Cat (4
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) "Tom Cat"
slowly writhes against a repeated muted reverbed
crash chord that plays at odds with the sultry
slide guitar and horn. The tremble of the tremolo
guitar hooks into surf. All I can say is, what
a cool slithering monster!
Pills
(3
Star) Blues (Instrumental) I'm not sure
about this one. "Pills" didn't grab me like
the rest here. It seemed almost tame and un-engaging,
though the harmonica is pure Billy Boy Arnold
stylistically.
Tragic
Wind (5
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) All right,
this is what this band was meant to do! The
Chantays' "Tragic Wind" is utterly superb, played
against very cool drums, vibrant with energy,
and blissfully arranged with guitar shimmer
and horn squirts. You just cannot ignore this
or dismiss it, regardless of your feelings towards
the notion of surf jazz.
Johnson
Machine Gun (3
Star) Blues (Instrumental) "Johnson Machine
Gun" is a straight blues, with wonderful tremolo
guitar and soulful slither. It doesn't stray
far from home, drinking deep at the blues trough.
Roller
Coaster (4
Star) Blues (Instrumental) This is a great
jumpin' blueser with great harmonica! It may
be all blues, but it's thoroughly infectious
and cool! The muted chords add a surfish feel,
and that beat... Man, I like this!
El
Conquistador (4
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) Muted reverb
rhythm guitar and horn in the drivers seat when
the guitar isn't in charge. This is the closest
thing here to an actual surf instro. Great drums,
digital reverb guitar, perfect surf bass, and
squirting trumpet. Yikes!
Nervous
Boogie (3
Star) Blues (Instrumental) "Nervous Boogie"
is another straight electric blues. Its energy
and vibe are hoppin' good, and the trumpet just
squonks!
Boss
(4
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) The Rumblers'
"Boss" is perhaps a natural for Lex Samu and
the Kraft Quartet because it was, after all,
a blues based sax lead instro in a guitar dominated
genre. Then again, leave it to these guys to
play the melody line on marimba with the trumpet
squirtin' radical notes. This classic has undergone
a very interesting transformation.
Whose
Muddy Shoes (3
Star) Blues (Instrumental) The blues slowly
ooze from every corner of "Whose Muddy Shoes."
Arranged in a fairly traditional fashion, except
for the trumpet lead, the song is both adventurous
and safe.
Pipeline
(3
Star) Surf Jazz (Instrumental) This is reminiscent
of the way Kai Winding and Kenny Burrell did
it, and with the melody line incorrect the way
Jerry Cole missed it, it has a certain uneasiness
about it. yet, the Rhodes break lines are superb.
Ice
Cream Man Reprise
(3 Star) Blues (Instrumental) The first
version of "Ice Cream Man" on this disc is vocal,
and this is very similar, but with trumpet lead
against some great harmonica. Quite nice.
