Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Slavic Soul Party!: Bigger
Slavic Soul Party!: Bigger
By
The music of the Romasome of whom accept the "gypsy moniker and some of whom reject itis often joyful, necessarily so. Like the American blues, gypsy music isn't about complaining so much as surviving despite. For even the biggest Balkan stars, the money gigs are weddings, which involve a week of ceremony and parties. A successful Balkan band needs not only to know the popular songs of the day, but also be able to carry a week of gigs for the same audience.
The Middle Eastern influences in New York's downtown have taken a different trackdecidedly less secular and leaning more toward high art. But in that context, the twelve-member Slavic Soul Party! (which features Curtis Hasselbring, Matt Moran, Oscar Noriega, and Chris Speed) has captured something of the populist aspect of the music. This is a party band, maintaining a weekly residency at Barbès, a small club and now a record label in Brooklyn. Bigger is SSP's second release. The band tries to keep the party feel, with spoken snippets between tunes and a couple of crowd-pleasing requests (Lee Dorsey's "Ya-Ya and the Meters' "Look-ka Py Py ), along with some traditional folk tunes, less recognizable covers, and a handful of their own compositions.
But crowd pleasing works best with a crowd, and Slavic Soul Party! works best with a party, as was the case in November, when the musicians wound through the aisles of the crowded WFMU record fair, led by a belly dancer and barely able to make their way through the room. Bigger captures them well and will sound best in a living room filled with friends.
The Middle Eastern influences in New York's downtown have taken a different trackdecidedly less secular and leaning more toward high art. But in that context, the twelve-member Slavic Soul Party! (which features Curtis Hasselbring, Matt Moran, Oscar Noriega, and Chris Speed) has captured something of the populist aspect of the music. This is a party band, maintaining a weekly residency at Barbès, a small club and now a record label in Brooklyn. Bigger is SSP's second release. The band tries to keep the party feel, with spoken snippets between tunes and a couple of crowd-pleasing requests (Lee Dorsey's "Ya-Ya and the Meters' "Look-ka Py Py ), along with some traditional folk tunes, less recognizable covers, and a handful of their own compositions.
But crowd pleasing works best with a crowd, and Slavic Soul Party! works best with a party, as was the case in November, when the musicians wound through the aisles of the crowded WFMU record fair, led by a belly dancer and barely able to make their way through the room. Bigger captures them well and will sound best in a living room filled with friends.
Track Listing
Shall I Throw It Down?; Missy Sa-Sa; Cacak Nirvana; Dance the Dust Up; Malina; Ya-Ya; Into the Night; 140; Curha 9/9; Bride's Song; Going Down, Looking Up; Rufalina; Down; Juan Colorado; Indinski; Look-Ka Py Py.
Personnel
Album information
Title: Bigger | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Barbes Records
Comments
Tags
Slavic Soul Party!
CD/LP/Track Review
Slavic Soul Party
Kurt Gottschalk
Barbes Records
United States
New York
New York City
Bigger