I’m pretty sure that my desert island disc would be a Louis Jordan one, possibly his collaboration with Chris Barber titled Louis Jordan Swings! Jordan’s R&B takes the infectious rhythm of swing and marries it with moody humor of the blues, then Barber’s band sprinkles the result with toe-tapping trad strings and brass—what’s not to love?
Like variety (or vaudeville, if you prefer), R&B is something modern entertainers seem to largely eschew for a purely big band or gypsy jazz sound. So it was a rare treat to review this rambunctious new record from San Diego outfit Lindy and the Hops. Founded by singer and saxophonist Lindy Edwards—also a founding member of the Mad Hat Hucksters—this EP showcases the R&B-infused stylings of a brand new seven-piece outfit.
This disc features five originals plus one semi-original, based on Dimitri Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No. 2. As well as featuring some beautiful brass harmonies, this instrumental interlude shows off the members’ impressive chops. Especially pleasant is Nightshade Navarro’s creamy-smooth solo on soprano sax—the trickiest sax to play, apparently—which sounds delightfully like a clarinet with the brightness turned up to eleven.
If “The Shostakovich” is a delight to listen to, then the vocal tracks would be equally nice to move to. “Bastards” takes Lindy’s frustrations at an industry hype
