Bam-Jazz Review

So often the best music is only heard by a select few and never makes it to disc. Granted, there is nothing like "live" but sometimes you just can't get out to catch it. This recording, Carolina Moonshine, by Jazz group Bam-Jazz is one of those rare recordings that has caught the spontanious of a live recording in a small venue. Bam-Jazz went out of their way to deliver just that. With nothing predetermined except the method of presentation the group took their cue from Jazz great Thelonius Monk by playing and what came out was "it". The audience was live as well adding to the flavor with incidental hoots and clapping during some of the pieces.

One of my favorite pieces on the recording was an unusual rendition of Gershwin's Summertime as a Reggae number. It showed the interest in playing music and not just boxing sounds called "Jazz" or "Blues". There are no pidgeon-holes here!

SOme of the other pieces that I particularly enjoy on Carolina Moonshine include the Flounder Blues - a jump blues about flounder fishing in Texas a la Louis Jordan, Let's Take it Nice and Slow - another original "Cajun Pop" song, and Iko-Iko with added trumpets for a high energy romping New Orleans flavor.

I highly recommend this recording as one to buy and give as a gift to anyone into real music. I purchased this recording on CD Baby for a very reasonable price but found it also available for download on several sites including iTunes and Rhapsody as well as CDBaby.com 's own site.

ENJOY!