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The Protruders: A Recipe for the Body & Soul

By Robert Spencer
December 1, 1999
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The Protruders: A Recipe for the Body & Soul

On the back of this one it says, "Instructions: 1. Take six world-class jazz musicians; 2. Remove their adult conformity glands; 3. Render the musicians imaginative, whimsical, mischievous." And you get - the Protruders.

What is it? Well, sometimes it's Dixieland: the New Orleans Rhythm Kings' "Tin Roof Blues" starts things off in a rollicking, shambolic fashion, with the front line of Rob Henke (trumpet), Jody Espina (clarinet), and growling, tailgating Bob Hovey (trombone) weaving in and out of sync with one another, jumping onto a sloughing off the beat laid down by bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Grisha Alexiev, and injecting all sorts of other notes from all over.

It sounds as if they're all having great fun, and even better, the fun translates to the disc. While these aren't the most precisely-played tracks around, they are all full of high spirits and, indeed, world-class playing. All six performers take tremendous solo turns.

Above all, don't miss what has to be the weirdest, the most smashingly bizarre, and one of the freshest takes ever recorded of the Duke Ellington chestnut "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."

Personnel

The Protruders

Rob Henke, tpt, vcl; Jody Espina, cl, as, ss; Bob Hovey, tbn, vcl; Rolf Sturm, g; Joe Fonda, b; Grisha Alexiev, d.

Track listing: Tin Roof Blues / Jazz Me Blues / Don't Get Around Much Anymore / Jelly Roll / Jitterbug Waltz / Mood Indigo / Days of Wine and Roses / Sweet Georgia Brown / Muskrat Ramble.

Album information

Title: A Recipe for the Body & Soul | Year Released: 1999

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