The California Feetwarmers – Gloryland
Self Released – 15 March 2019 (UK Release)
A Los Angeles base might at first seem an unusual locale for an eight-piece outfit specialising in 1920s-vintage New Orleans jazz – but hey, why not? The California Feetwarmers was formed back in 2012 by the almost-by-accident, happy-coincidence meeting of kindred spirits, musicians inexorably drawn to the music of the ’20s and ’30s from the trad-jazz, ragtime, Dixieland, blues and early swing repertoires of such players as The Memphis Jugband, Bunk Johnson and a whole host of more obscure artists. The Feetwarmers took their infectious authentically-driven good-time music “from back then” to live gigs, building a hell of a reputation before, in 2013, the legendary Keb’ Mo’ sought the band out to provide the right joyous “party” feel for the track The Old Me Better on his Blues-Americana album. And with this classic lineup of players steeped in this music (on sousaphone, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, guitar, banjo, washboard and bass drum) it proved impossible to put a foot wrong.
Armed with this pedigree, the band managed to capture an astonishing amount of the energy of its live show on its eponymous studio debut album, where they were joined by two guests, vocalist Phil Alvin (of The Blasters) and jazz tenor banjo man Andy Bean (of The Two Man Gentleman Band). The Feetwarmers’ highly exuberant 2014 release (which by the way contained one of the most exhilarating versions of Tiger Rag I know in addition to showcasing the stylish compositional talent of band members Jeffrey Moran and Patrick Morrison) was followed a couple of years later by album number two, Silver Seas, which consolidated the band sound on a set recorded in LA in 2016. A year of whirlwind festival appearances included a by all accounts riotous gig at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket amidst a triumphant UK tour.
Now for the band’s third album, Gloryland, on which they perform suitably idiomatic studio takes of some more of the highlights from their live shows. Once again it’s a tried-and-road-tested mixture of period gems and just a couple of original compositions, with the former category this time widening the temporal envelope even more to encompass early sanctified-gospel (the 1906-vintage Acuff/Dean title number probably familiar to us largely through the late-’50s Stanley Brothers’ recording), Artie Matthews’ ragtime-styled Weary Blues of 1915, Fats Waller’s delicious The Minor Drag (1929) and Merle Travis’ western-swing number No Vacancy dating from the mid-forties. Even the connoisseur of the ragtime, blues and Dixieland genres might be hard pressed to pinpoint some of the original sources though, and it’s a pity they’re not identified or credited on the package (although the actual composer credits are supplied). But what’s certain is that the California Feetwarmers will spare nothing to exhume this treasurable heritage for our delectation and have a whale of a time doing so. As you the listener will, I’m convinced. The earthy strut of the Sam Morgan tune Short Dress Gal is irresistible, for instance, as is the pseudo-Hawaiian-calypso feel of Wani Night, but my personal favourite has to be the band’s superbly animated, solo-rich take on the classic ODJB/ Bix Beiderbecke foxtrot Royal Garden Blues, which I’ve had on repeat play. The scoring throughout is impeccable and inimitable, and perennially interesting; there are innumerable incidental delights along the way in every single one of these tunes, for instance introducing quirky touches of instrumental timbre whether momentary or textural (pump organ on band composition I Got Dreams, vibraphone on Henry “Red” Allen’s Feeling Drowsy). A half-dozen guest artists make selected appearances too as appropriate.
The band possesses a keen sense of ensemble to match the solo players’ prowess, and there’s no trace of a weak link therein. If you like your early jazz close-to-the-source, boisterous and fun, then California Feetwarmers will definitely warm your feet and more.
Perfomring Weary Blues live for ‘Playing for Change‘.
https://www.californiafeetwarmers.com/