The Shuffle Demons: All In

With a three-saxophone front line and no piano, Canada's Shuffle Demons could be mistaken for the legendary Gerry Mulligan Quartet on steroids—could be, that is, until one hears the music, which bears scant resemblance to the West Coast cool espoused by Mulligan, Chet Baker and their colleagues. In other words, they're not called Shuffle Demons for nothing.

When not shuffling, the Demons are otherwise brash and busy on their tenth album, All In, whose ten numbers were written by various members of the quintet, which includes two tenors—Kelly Jefferson, Matt Lagan—and alto/baritone Richard Underhill, supported by bassist Mike Downes and drummer Stich Wynston. Even the blues—"COVID Blues" in this case—are met head on at a pace so swift and vigorous that they are readily subdued. All In is the antithesis of blue, and "COVID Blues" is arguably the most free-spirited number on the album.

Underhill, he of the alto and baritone, wrote half a dozen of the album's selections, tenor Lagan two, bassist Downes "All In," drummer Wynston the "COVID Blues." Underhill's "Walk the Walk" and "Let's Play" veer closest to abandoning the shuffle beat in favor of a more straight-on approach, but even here the shuffle is ever-nigh. Wynston is quite comfortable in either groove, and has a chance to brandish the entire drum kit on Underhill's limber "Inside Out." As for solos, they are by and large well-knit and respectable, with the occasional squawk or squeal to make sure the audience is awake and paying attention.

The Shuffle Demons, according to their online bio, have been performing together for almost four decades, so anything they do (or wear) is undoubtedly well-planned rather than spur-of-the-moment. All In, it must be assumed, went according to plan. Whether or not that plan is up to snuff is for the listener to decide.

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