The News Review:
- All aboard for the blues
- Jimmy Giuffre; Infused Jazz With Blues Classical Notes
- Tejas Brothers merge country rock blues Tejano for genuine Texan…
All aboard for the blues
The Age – Apr 26, 2008
We tell people it’s like a progressive partythey’ll never forget. The Blues Train tourists come from all parts of Victoria andinterstate and 200 roll out every Saturday night. “They are notnecessarily blues music fans. People ask me who goes and I say thesame people who go to the airport. All sorts ofpeople. They’re looking for a great night out and they’ve heardit’s just a fat load of fun… They’re looking for a great night out and they’ve heardit’s just a fat load of fun. Armstrong says the connection between the blues and trains goesback a long way. “There’s a great synergy between the rhythm ofblues music and the rhythm of trains” says Armstrong. “When Robert Johnson used to sing ‘I think I’ll ride theblinds’ he meant he’d hitch a ride on a freight train and ride inone of the canvas-sided wagons to the next town. The Blues Train has two dining cars a seating car and astripped-out dance car. There’s often one solo act one duo onetrio and a four-piece band playing as the steam train chuffs out ofQueenscliff. The styles vary from slide guitar to Chicago blues.
Jimmy Giuffre; Infused Jazz With Blues Classical Notes
Washington Post – Apr 26, 2008
Giuffre (pronounced JOO-free) had his greatest early fame as the composer of “Four Brothers” a popular instrumental hit for Woody Herman’s big band in 1947. Later after a stint in the saxophone section of Herman’s big band Mr. Giuffre formed a series of trios that explored what he called “blues-based folk jazz. “His groups invariably called the Jimmy Giuffre 3 often included guitarist Jim Hall and blended advanced musical techniques with a homespun back-porch feeling. Giuffre who played clarinet tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone in the 1950s gained modest popularity in the late 1950s and was featured in the documentary “Jazz on a Summer’s Day” filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. Later as his ideas reached beyond the mainstream Mr… “James Peter Giuffre was born in Dallas on April 26 1921. He played in local bands in his teens graduated from what is now the University of North Texas and played in Army bands during World War II. By 1946 he was in California where he arranged music and sometimes played in bands led by Boyd Raeburn Jimmy Dorsey and Buddy Rich. He also studied for several years with classical composer Wesley La Violette. Giuffre composed a swirlingly infectious tune for Woody Herman’s Second Herd a band whose reed section included baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff and tenor players Zoot Sims Stan Getz and Herbie Steward who were known as the Four Brothers. (Al Cohn later replaced Steward.
Tejas Brothers merge country rock blues Tejano for genuine Texan…
Dallas Morning News – Apr 26, 2008
com The Tejas Brothers are authentic purveyors of a decidedly Lone Star sound. Not since the Texas Tornados has a band of musical hermanos so expertly merged country Tejano rock and blues. While these four Fort Worth guys aren’t siblings they sure are kin behind those instruments. We’re talking guitar accordion bass and drums. What more do you need for that real border style?Guitarist Chris Zalez was a bluesman. He was even making a living playing it onstage… He was even making a living playing it onstage. But it was time for a change he thought around 2006. He tapped into his childhood predilection for Mexican music as well as a few other genres and called in upright bassist John Garza drummer Danny Cochran and singer-squeezebox player David Perez. Suddenly the Tejas Brothers were born. One listens to the group’s self-titled 11-song CD and two quick thoughts come to mind. First dang these musicians are a younger and hipper but just-as-real reincarnation of Texas Tornados the lauded ensemble featuring Flaco Jimenez and the late Freddy Fender. And finally you say to yourself “What took so long for Texas to produce another band like this?”Better late than never right? Mr.