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lePercolateur: Pop Manouche
ByThe core instrumentationviolin, multiple guitars and bassimmediately points to the gypsy in lePercolateur's soul. Some energetic tunes with upbeat guitar accents and feisty violin work confirm this connection and fly by in fun fashion ("Bad Crazy Day"), but nothing flies too close to the gypsy jazz norm; the songs themselves and the presence of vocalist Candace Washburn, who injects a good amount of the "pop" into Pop Manouche, make sure of that. Middle Eastern-leaning music with a surfer undercurrent ("Two Weeks"), shuffling country-blues-pop hybrids ("Darling"), haunting instrumental meditations ("Oscura") and a whole lot more surface during this eleven song program.
While lePercolateur itself is a five person band, several guests stop by to beef-up the line-up and add some different flavors to the music. Three horn playerstrumpeter Corey Wilkes, tenor saxophonist Shawn Maxwell and trombonist Adam Thornburgtangle during a harmonious polyphonic solo spree on "Nothing Special," Bryan Pardo's clarinet sets the scene for "Two Weeks," which also benefits from some basic tambourine backing from Stephen Lynerd, and a third guitaristGabriel Datcudrops in for a couple numbers; all parties help lePercolateur expand its aural outlook.
Pop Manouche presents a band that drinks from the Quintette du Hot Club de France's well, yet finds sustenance in other musical realms. This stylistic openness contributes to the success of the hybridized music that lePercolateur produces.
Track Listing
Bad Crazy Day; Nothing Special; Dancing In The Kitchen; All I Want Is You; Two Weeks; Goin' Out; Waiting For The End Of The World; Open Up The Door; Darling; Oscura; House.
Personnel
Marielle de Rocca-Serra: violin; Stacy McMichael: bass; Sam Random: guitar; Kevin Rush: guitar; Candace Washburn: vocals; Corey Wilkes: trumpet (2); Shawn Maxwell: tenor saxophone (2); Adam Thornburg: trombone (2); Bryan Pardo: clarionet (5); Stephen Lynerd: tambourine; Gabriel Datcu: guitar (5, 10).
Album information
Title: Pop Manouche | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Chicago Sessions