Paris Washboard does Fats
Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 10/31/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Paris Washboard has made enough CDs now, mostly for the Stomp Off label, that they should be an institution already. They are a quirky (clarinet, trombone, piano, and washboard), swinging group, specializing in material from the '20s-'30s. This CD spotlights Fats Waller, and like all their other albums is consistently excellent. Alain Marquet's clarinet sound is reminiscent of Edmond Hall (with some Acker Bilk thrown in) and he is particularly sharp on the up-tempo numbers. He switches to bass clarinet on a few slower tunes (WILLOW TREE, for example). Daniel Barda plays a forceful trombone, except when he plays muted - then he's as lyrical as they come (listen to him on THERE'S A MAN (GAL) IN MY LIFE). These guys are really terrific, and I hope they put out many more CDs."