The Secret Six • Toot Sweet and Goose the Beat

The Secret Six, named after abolitionist John Brown’s Secret Society of Six of the 1850s, has been playing hot jazz in New Orleans since 2020. For their Toot Sweet and Goose the Beat release, the group’s personnel has solidified into a two-trumpet octet comprised of Zach Lange and Nathan Wolman on trumpets, trombonist Haruka Kickuchi, clarinetist James Evans, pianist Joplin Purnell, banjoist Hunter Burgany, washboardist Dizzy Incirlioglu, and the group’s leader bassist John Joyce.

While the band’s repertoire is mostly based in the 1920s and they are clearly familiar with early recordings, their versions are new, fresh, and often surprising while staying creative within the idiom. Starting with an explosive version of Jabbo Smith’s “Jazz Battle” which includes a heated tradeoff by the trumpeters, this CD is filled with memorable performances. Their rendition of “Aunt Hagar’s Blues” ranks with the very best of the past half-century, the very obscure “Get Outta Here and Go Home” sounds like it is being played by Kid Ory’s band in the 1950s, “Gulf Coast Blues” is given a real low-down treatment, and it is a particular joy getting to hear a revival of Clarence Williams’ “Candy Lips.” Even a purposely way-too-sentimental version of “My Buddy” is a joy to hear.

All of the soloists have colorful and individual sounds with James Evans’ clarinet playing (which includes a bit of slap tongue playing on “Four Or Five Times”) being particularly eccentric and boisterous at times. There is certainly nothing introverted about this group, the occasional vocals (by Burgamy, Joyce and Lange) fit the style and never overstay their welcome, and such tunes as “Maple Leaf Rag,” “Apex Blues” and “Shake It And Break It” receive colorful treatments. My only reservation with the Secret Six release is the lack of liner notes.

This is a set highly recommended to fans of the livelier side of New Orleans jazz.

The Secret Six • Toot Sweet and Goose The Beat
Self-Released
www.secretsixjazzband.com

Scott Yanow

Since 1975 Scott Yanow has been a regular reviewer of albums in many jazz styles. He has written for many jazz and arts magazines, including JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, Cadence, CODA, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, and was the jazz editor for Record Review. He has written an in-depth biography on Dizzy Gillespie for AllMusic.com. He has authored 11 books on jazz, over 900 liner notes for CDs and over 20,000 reviews of jazz recordings. Yanow was a contributor to and co-editor of the third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz. He continues to write for Downbeat, Jazziz, the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, the Jazz Rag, the New York City Jazz Record and other publications.