The Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band is a popular New Orleans group cutting their own path through the Crescent City since 2009. While rooted in traditional jazz they leave it to others to be wedded to it and instead focus on the fun side of their city’s diverse musical life. In this case incorporating Afro-Caribbean and Latin American rhythms, western swing, klezmer, and even a bit of rock ’n’ roll, while never strating far from a New Orleans jazz feeling or instrumentation. New Orleans has been called the northernmost city in the Caribbean. It also has a way of absorbing music from the rest of the USA.
The album kicks off with “Kedougou,” an original from leader Colin Myers, named for a city in Senegal where he spent several months as a student. It quickly swings in a new direction with “Take My Heart To Texas” a western swing song that is also a Myers original. “The Splash” follows with bop elements from guest saxophonist Ricardo Pascal, but have no fear they are the big open fun kind, and the band seems to enjoy the unusual territory. Pascal, for his part, references Louis Armstrong. “Chorando na Primavera” is next, a band original in the choro style, an early Brazilian form often compared to ragtime in America.
The first cover on the album “Malambo #1” is from Peruvian singer Yma Sumac. The band learned it for rooftop concerts they played during the pandemic off recently deceased drummer Barry Martyn’s house. You will likely recognize the tune. “Ghost of Love” is a klezmer inspired song featuring Mark Rubin, “The Jew of Oklahoma,” on banjo. It is the fifth and last Colin Myers original on the album. “In the Land of Beginning Again” dates from 1919 but has found favor in New Orleans recently with the Shake ’Em Up Jazz Band and in New York City with the EarRegulars. Dr. Sick breaks out his musical saw and a cello adds even more mystery to the Jumbo Shrimp version.
The pace changes up yet again with a New Orleans soul number, Irma Thomas’s 1964 hit “Breakaway.” No other city developed rock and soul in quit the same way. The album closes with “Don’t Stop Dancing,” a full jazz funeral of a song they took from the dark cartoon comedy Bojack Horseman, sung brilliantly by Banu Gibson and played with gusto by the whole band.
Most of the factoids about the tracks above can be found on the band’s Bandcamp page by clicking “info” next to a track. Exceedingly few bands make that effort and I deeply appreciate it. They also seem appreciated by their peers, along with the seven regular members of the band there are no less than eight guests. The band consists of leader Colin Myers on trombone and vocals, Mike Fulton on trumpet, Dr. Sick on violin and saw, Russell Welch on guitar, Joshua Gouzy on bass, and Simon Lott on drums. I looked and was surprised to see that while he is mentioned in a number of articles with other bands, and we did review a 2019 Jumbo Shrimp album, Myers hasn’t been profiled in The Syncopated Times. (There are scores of worthy people we’d like to get to, hit that donate button so we are around for them.)
The guest artists include Salvador Avila on guitar, Jennie Brent on cello, Banu Gibson on vocals, Dennis Lichtman on clarinet and mandolin, Fernando Lima on drums, Ricardo Pascal on tenor saxophone, Jafet Perez on bongos, congas, and cowbell, and Mark Rubin on banjo. None are superfluous, each adds the added punch to a track perfectly suited to what they bring to it. That is perhaps obvious with the South American influences, but I can think of no one better for that Bojack Horseman closer than Banu Gibson, it has the feel of a night ender at Your Father’s Mustache.
Comparing Prawn Shop to 2019’s Crustaceous Capers the new one is actually a bit more traditional and rootsy overall, even while freely exploring other influences, the jazz is primary. The earlier album was a bluesier, louder, more mottly New Orleans sound, even as they covered standards like “Cake Walkin’ Babies” and “Michigan Water.” The pace was faster, more party orientated and while deeply skilled, not as varied stylistically across what was, don’t get me wrong, a great album. That was an album you could play in any backyard in New Orleans and satisfy the crowd.
If you want to explore the evolution of their sound, and you do, you can stream a decade of albums on their Bandcamp page. While there are consistent interests, 2014’s Louder Than Last Time covers some songs with Latin rhythms, Prawn Shop represents a new stage for the band, with over half the tunes being Myers originals it has the most to say while still focusing on the good times to be had.
Prawn Shop
The Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band
jumboshrimpjazzband.bandcamp.com
Joe Bebco is the Associate Editor of The Syncopated Times and Webmaster of SyncopatedTimes.com
