Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Boston Horns: Boogie Stop Shuffle

Boston Horns: Boogie Stop Shuffle

By Todd S. Jenkins
March 1, 2002
View read count

Afros are back, so it figures that the best of the 1970s' music should also make a welcome return. The funky jazz stylings of Maceo Parker, the Crusaders and Galactic are taken to a new level on this excellent disc by the Boston Horns. Douglas and Saviuk, alumni of the Heavy Metal Horns, rock the house with a suitably powerful rhythm section.

"Head in the History" tips us off as to what we should expect from this fun ride: a deep Nawlins-funk groove with a group vocal chant and scattered quotes from Bird, Miles, Dizzy, et al. But it's Buckridge's ganky wah guitar tone and Rush's impeccably fluid bass figures that really sell the product on tracks like this one and "Chez Buckway". A wild modernization of Charles Mingus' title track comes off like an ecstatic combination of road-race and gang fight.

This style of music always runs the risk of falling into sameness, but the BoHos avoid that pitfall with countless creative turns. "Medicine Man" is purest swamp boogie; "Next Time" picks up the pace with a speedy riff melody that takes off at the bridge; and "Maybe 2 Nite" is a Latin-inflected hoot. Rush and Buckridge shine once again on the uplifting township vibe of "Afro Soup", showing off yet another side of this multifaceted unit. From jazz to funk and well beyond, the Boston Horns have it goin' on!

(http://www.bostonhorns.com)

Track Listing

Head in the History; Boogie Stop Shuffle; Soul's Avenue; Dyno-mite; Next Time; Maybe 2 Nite; 850; Medicine Man; Brand New Funk; Alarm Clock Kickin'; Afro Soup; Chez Buckway.

Personnel

Boston Horns

various

Henley Douglas, Jr., tenor and baritone saxes, vocals; Garret Saviuk, trumpet, fl

Album information

Title: Boogie Stop Shuffle | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Independent Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Terri Lyne Carrington
< Previous

Opium
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.