THE JIVE ACES - SPREAD A LITTLE HAPPINESS

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1. Spread A Little Happiness   2. Bare Necessities   3. La Dolce Vita   4. L.O.V.E.   5. Lovin' Life   6. Smile   7. Boogie Woogie Country Girl   8. Get Me To The Church On Time   9. I Like To Eat   10. The Simple Things   11. In The Mood   12. Answer Your Call

Golden Age Recordings / GARCD003

I use to write here reviews of records released during the last few months. There have been some (very few) exceptions and here I am with a new one, as this "Spread A Little Happiness" by The Jive Aces was released back in 2015.

I'm making an exception because even though this English band began Jiving at the second half of the 1980's, more or less at the same time I discovered the wonderful world of Rock'n'Roll, it has been just around a month ago that I've become aware of their existence. Maybe I've heard them before, who knows, but I really hadn't paid attention to them. Huge mistake, I concede. Note that they even have had some "smash hits" in the past, such as "Bring Me Sunshine", from their "King Of The Swingers" CD. Since I've "discovered" them, The Jive Aces are one of my favourite bands, so I feel it is fair , a kind of an act of justice, to write a review about this record, their last one released til now if I'm right.

A dozen songs have been included, all of them wonderful. It makes 34 minutes and 8 seconds of pure joy and fun. I can remember just a handful of records with a title so close to what they contain, because what these gentlemen do in it is spread happiness... and they do so with Jive, Swing and Rock'n'Roll rhythm, making you dance even if you (as myself) are as clumsy as it gets. For those of you who don't know The Jive Aces, their style comes right from Jive and Swing in the way Louis Prima did, adding a touch of Rock'n'Roll that fits nicely.

By the way, The Jive Aces are Ian (voice, ukulele and trumpet), John (sax), Alex (trombone), Vince (piano), Ken (double-bass) and Peter (drums)... and all of them (I mean ALL) seem to me absolutely great doing their job. More than that, if you watch on the internet the videos of their live shows you'll see they are outstanding showmen.

I'll say it again: the 12 songs included are absolutely great and it's difficult to highlight any of them above the rest, but of course I have my favourites, being so "Spread A Little Happiness", "Bare Necessities", "L.O.V.E.", "Smile" and, above all, "La Dolce Vita". As a matter of fact, since I heard "La Dolce Vita" for the first time I can't help but to hum it anywhere at anytime. I insist once more: all of them are top quality. All killers, no fillers.

To all that musical goodness, it has to be added a beautiful artwork for the sleeve and the booklet, with fun cartoons fitting the mood of the songs.

Since I heard (or paid attention to) The Jive Aces for the first time, around a month ago as I said before, I've already bought two of their CD's... and I'm pretty sure that I'm going "to need" to buy a few more soon. The Jive Aces, where have you been all those years?

Highly and strongly recommended. Am I clear enough?

MAS BIRRAS - MALDITA SEA MI SUERTE (DISCOGRAFÍA COMPLETA 1985 - 1993)

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CD 1 = 1. Maldita sea mi suerte   2. Tren de medianoche   3. Esa chica llamada Soledad   4. Apuesta por el Rock'n'Roll   5. Moliendo café   6. El siguiente eres tú   7. Quiero beber   8. Cervezas y cigarros   9. Voces de Tango   10. ¡Oh Ana!   11. Cass (la chica más guapa de la ciudad)   12. Asesinato en Torrero   13. Beber no cura   14. Vuelta atrás   15. No voy a ningún sitio   16. Isabel   17. Una historia como ésta   18. Eso de pedir perdón

CD 2 = 1. La telaraña   2. Perla criolla   3. Hay una cruz en El Saso   4. Besos tan dulces como la miel   5. Pronto nos veremos   6. La última traición   7. Nada queda   8. Arriba en la montaña   9. Tú no has cambiado   10. Sin sentido   11. Quién ha venido   12. El hombre del tambor   13. Promesas rotas   14. Más madera   15. Voces de tango   16. Loreto   17. Ya me voy   18. Carne de tren   19. Blues del hijo de Dios   20. Para llegar a ti

Universal Music Group / 0602557267983

Más Birras is a kind of cult band in Spanish Rockabilly and Rock'n'Roll history.

As we read on the subtitle of this 2 x CD set, here we have the complete discography of this band, so the songs released in their 4 LP's ("Al este del Moncayo", "Otra Ronda", "La última traición" and "Tierra quemada"), plus B sides from singles, with a very good sound quality.

All much more than very good if you, as myself, discovered Rockabilly back then, during the second half of the 1980's, and enjoyed their mix of nostalgia and satire (if not pure partying) in their lyrics, always in Spanish, along with their own way of playing Rock'n'Roll, Rockabilly, Country, Pop and even something else. "Maldita sea mi suerte", "Apuesta por el Rock'n'Roll", "Cass (la chica más guapa de la ciudad)", "Hay una cruz en El Saso", "El hombre del tambor" and so on are classics in Spanish Rock'n'Roll history in their own right.

A booklet with more than 20 pages is included, with biography, info about the four LP's that the band got released, pictures and so on.

For sure Más Birras is an essential band in Spanish Rock'n'Roll history.

NICO DUPORTAL & HIS RHYTHM DUDES - DEALING WITH MY BLUES

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1. Don't You See   2. I Know The Rules   3. Now Hush   4. The One To Blame   5. I Will Unfriend You   6. Mess And Chaos   7. Benzola Ascensor   8. Sometimes   9. Brand New Day   10. Junior's Mambo   11. Soul Patch   12. Long Way To Go   13. Mess And Chaos (acoustic)

Rhythm Bomb Records / RBR 5844

Fact: Nico Duportal is one of the top Rhythm'n'Blues singers and guitar players nowadays, if not just the best.

Fact: His Rhythm Dudes are around the same level than their band leader. Then, also top level worldwide.

With these ingredients, this "Dealing With My Blues" CD released by Rhythm Bomb Records has to be a good record... and a good record it is. But (this time here we have a but) I wonder what would it have been like with much less organ and much more piano, as it was in Nico Duportal & His Rhythm Dudes' previous records, such as in 2015 "Guitar Player", reviewed by yours truly in this very same blog back in May 2015.

It's just a matter of oppinion but for me, in this "Dealing With My Blues", the songs where the organ is less evident or it is substituted straightaway by the piano are the best ones. Take "I Know The Rules", "Long Way To Go" or the acoustic version of "Mess And Chaos", that comes as a bonus track on the CD, as examples.

So, a good record, even a very good record, that would be close to excellence with more piano. By the way, it has been released in CD and LP format.