Recommended: Mostly Other People Do the Killing – “Loafer’s Hollow”

The newest from Mostly Other People Do the Killing lands in territory staked out by Dixieland bands and stride at the birth of the jazz tradition.  With half of the ensemble comprised of wind instruments, the way they employ a quirky lyricism to attain some thrilling moments of intertwining melodicism is pretty damn cool even when viewed in isolation.  But the heart of this music beats strongest through its rhythm section, and it’s from here that the unsubtle command to move those feet originates.  Every tune on Loafer’s Hollow shouts from the ground up, joyful and alive, and that effusiveness is contagious as hell.  The interactions between wind instruments is clever dialog, and there’s a little intrigue generated by trying to match up the music to the literary authors each piece is dedicated to, and it’s an amusing curiosity how ensemble-leader Moppa Elliott titles his compositions after town names from his native Pennsylvania… but this album forms its best connections when the music is inhaled like smoke, downed like whiskey, and then channeled back out in the spirit of fun in which it’s played.

MOPDtK has made a career out of re-envisioning the music of past eras in a way that is inventive while honoring the originals.  This is arguably their most enjoyable foray yet.

Your album personnel:  Moppa Elliott (bass), Steven Bernstein (trumpet, slide trumpet), Jon Irabagon (tenor & sopranino saxophones), Dave Taylor (bass trombone), Brandon Seabrook (banjo, electronics), Ron Stabinsky (piano) and Kevin Shea (drums).

Released on Hot Cup Records.

Jazz from NYC.

Available at:  Amazon | CDBaby