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| OS 026 / 823889902629 |
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Puppet Mischief, Brooklyn-based saxophonist John Ellis's second album with his New Orleans-based band Double-Wide, continues the former New Orleanian's love affair with the Big Easy, drawing inspiration from the rich vein of music the city has given the world, while also taking cues, in Ellis' own words, from "carnivals, state fairs, children laughing, clowns and dancing." Marking his debut on the ObliqSound label with the February 23rd release, the recording features Ellis with Brian Coogan on organ, Matt Perrine on sousaphone and Jason Marsalis on drums, plus special guests Gregoire Maret on harmonica and Alan Ferber on trombone.
Of the title Puppet Mischief, Ellis says, "it's hard to say those two words next to each other and not smile." says Ellis. That statement -- and the images conveyed by the album's intriguing title -- applies equally to the music within. The album, which draws its inspiration from the rich vein of music the city of New Orleans has given the world, exudes an air of delight and exhilaration.
The highlights begin from the album's very first funky moments. The leadoff track, "Okra & Tomatoes," takes its title from a phrase that represents life's perfect pairings. That's followed by "Fauxfessor," a tightly synced, off-kilter New Orleans romp full of surprising twists. The elegiac "Dewey Dah" displays each instrument's individual colorings, particularly Perrine's sousaphone, and reaffirms Ellis' penchant for compositions that are never static, always morphing. Among the album's other standouts are the wild, teasing title track, featuring a stunning harmonica solo by Maret, and the back-to-back "Carousel" and "Dubinland Carnival." The former, which Ellis calls a "wistful circus tune," takes on a bluesy patina and incorporates several dramatic transitions, while its companion piece, which Ellis likens to the feel of a Fellini film, features an epic sax-trombone conversation and some of Marsalis' most fired-up drumming of the set. "Chorale" speaks for itself -- written originally with string quartet in mind, it instead became a beautiful showcase for the four horns. "Héroes de Acción" is Ellis' idea of soundtrack music for a Spanish cartoon crime-fighting hero while the album's closing track, "This Too Shall Pass," is the perfect sendoff, a calming, almost whimsical paean to the acceptance of flux as the one constant in our lives.
Full album details
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| 6.
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Dubinland Carnival 5:46 |
| 9.
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This Too Shall Pass 7:43 |
* Denotes iTunes only bonus track
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