CD review by Geoff Boxell of New Zealand
PHIL MASON'S NEW ORLEANS ALL-STARS WEST INDIES BLUES
Lake LACD93 1997 17 tracks 78min
June Night, Over The Waves, West Indies Blues, Picking On Your Baby*, I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket, I Want A Big Butter & Egg Man*, Davenport Blues, What The Lord Has Done For Me~, Short Dress Gal, The Light From The Lighthouse, You've Got The Right Key-But The Wrong Keyhole*, Yacka Hula Hickey Dula, Lazy Bones, Fidgety Fingers, Amazing Grace~, Royal Telephone*, Algiers Strut
I know that at times, I find Phil Mason's punchy cornet just a bit too hesitant, but he is still one hell of a horn player and he sure has a good band to play with him. Since his last release there have been a couple of changes in the band's line-up, the first since the band was formed. Paul Harrison replaces James Evans on clarinet, which is a bit of a relief as the boy sometimes ran amok. Ron McKay comes in on drums. I remember Ron best when he was the drummer in Acker Bilk's band. He used to allow chewing gum to dangle from his mouth, flick it back and forth with the drumsticks and then catch it in his mouth for another chew. I also remember that, when Acker let him, he could sing gospel numbers with a hard driving voice. He gets to sing one of them, 'The Light From The Lighthouse', on this CD, though his voice seems much less gruff - maybe he has given up smoking? Another reminder of Bilk is the rolling rhythm on 'West Indies Blues', though here the vocal is provided by the fine trombone player, Martin Bennett.
Vocals feature heavily on this CD, and the title of the album is particularly appropriate, as it features two West Indian vocalists; my favourite brownskin mama, Christine Tyrrell*, and a fellow gospel exponent, Pauline Pearce~, who has a very deep, almost masculine voice.
Another excellent, and inventive Lake CD from Phil Mason and his team. I look forward to their next release; maybe I will get some more Christine Tyrrell and Pauline Pearce tracks.
