Tucksy: Tucksy - The EP

Vibraphonist Dan McCarthy's Tucksy—The EP has him hooking up with a kindred spirit in the personage of banjo player Tuey Connell with extremely satisfying results. Both Connell and McCarthy are wont to take their instruments into somewhat uncharted places: McCarthy's recent Interwords (Independent, 2006) highlighted his gorgeous sonoric clarity in the context of a potpourri of genres that always kept the melody in sight, while Connell can be found in hip downtown venues fronting his own band that combines jazz, blues and pop into a bluegrassy base. Tucksy joins the two of them with bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ernesto Cervini for a highly listenable yet creative sound.

"Tucksy's Theme works out of a solid B3-like blues/funk groove, bringing to mind organist Jimmy Smith doing a version of "Watermelon Man as McCarthy finds the perfect chords, while "The Mysterious Disappearance of Sir Randolph Buckminster switches to a bolero chill with a hypnotically exquisite rhythm, allowing for both McCarthy and Connell to expose the more delicate aspects of their instruments.

"The Television Lies, written by fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Reid Jamieson, is turned into a heartbreakingly lovely vibes solo that elegantly uses sustain and harmonics to create a stunningly reverential atmosphere. "Theme from Law and Order serves as an excuse for some vibraphonic pyrotechnics before the original "Loblues has banjo and vibes on equal footing for some ethereal blues. An EP length preview of what is sure to be a striking full-length debut.