Knowing that I enjoyed Tom Waits and Marc Ribot, a very kind and knowledgeable local record guru named "Record Bob" encouraged me to buy a copy of The Lounge Lizards'
Big Heart: Live in Tokyo LP from him last summer.
I confess I was an absolute novice to the band and I finally got around to spinning it tonight and read up a bit on their style. timregler on RYM stated the following about the album:
When you begin listening to Big Heart it sounds like another Big Bad Voodoo Daddy sort of campy neo jive swing outfit. But something happens on the third track, the wild "Fat House". All of a sudden, this band kicks into a Mingus type of groove, and they don't back off till the end of the album. Much of the credit for the good times has to go to the horns played by John Lurie (alto) Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), and Roy Nathanson on soprano, alto, and tenor sax) they blow their brains out on some wild ass kicking horn charts that will leave you wanting more! Evan Lurie is also excellent on piano, and Douglas Browne is a madman on drums. For something that starts out sounding like cookie cutter swing, it sure makes you forget the first two tunes very quickly.
Here is that very track, live in Tokyo:
Youtube thankfully provided me not only with the full
Big Heart Live in Tokyo concert VHS, but a fantastic performance with Marc Ribot live on Night Music from 1989 which really captures their avant-garde groove and energy. Here's "Voice of Chunk."
I can definitely dig this.
Curious what Frownland thinks of these fellows.