Kingcake: Kingcake

Similar in aim to the AACM, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy, Kingcake plays free and loose. They interact with considerable cohesion; like longtime friends who know each other’s moves. Free improvisation can easily become dry and lifeless without the swing. Scot Ray lays down a New Orleans strut step, Brad Dutz fills that in with congas and various toe-tapping devices, while Matt Zebley weaves lyrical melodies. Bill Barrett’s blues harp lends a comfortable air to the session with vocal-like expression and a laid-back ease. Full of life and rooted in the New Orleans tradition, Kingcake finds a way to tie together the beginning and end of our first jazz century. Traditional tunes "Ja Da" and "A Closer Walk With Thee" ring familiar. A loose bass drum, light drum sticks on a modest kit, doubled octaves from clarinet and tuba swing "up a lazy river" and back down to the source of jazz.

Highly recommended, this one may be tough to find. Fortunately, Zebley can be contacted via the ‘net. His email is [email protected] , and his web page is http://mattzebley.com/welcome.html .

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