Brian Carrick (clarinet, tenor sax, vocal), Eddie Bruhner (trumpet, vocal), Kurt Jensen (clarinet, tenor sax), Erik Vand Hansen (piano), Nina Ehrenstråle (banjo, vocal), Nan Ehrenstråle (bass), Ronald Andersen (drums) This CD should go straight to the top of your shopping list – but that’s only, of course, if you absolutely love and crave happy, uncomplicated,bouncing jazz with such an infectious beat that it’s hard to stay in your seat! Adding piquancy to the mix on this excellent Femø Jazz Festival session last year was the fact that Brian Carrick’s almost unique metal clarinet broke before the show and he had to switch to an ‘ordinary’ wooden instrument. Brian’s metal clarinet was originally one (owned, not used) of George Lewis’ and was given to him by a member of George’s family. Many enthusiasts claim that the fact that Brian’s tone and style are so similar to Lewis’ owes a lot to the instrument itself. His work on this CD puts the lie to that crazy claim. When he chooses, he sounds as much like George as ever, even with the wooden instrument, and I for one welcome that because it’s a wonderful sound and because Brian is no clone, he’s a highly original, natural jazzman with a wonderful talent, who from time to time pays tribute to one of the masters, George. I’d rather have that than no George at all! A further intriguing facet of this session is that both Brian and Kurt Jensen double on clarinet and tenor sax. It’s fun when both play the same instrument working out which is which; you can cheat though, as there’s a track-by-track guide within the liner notes. So what’s it like? Superb, great fun, very musical, exiting and yet disciplined, with no decents into rabble-rousing histrionics. Let’s try a brief track-by-track guide…(1) Is an Algiers dance hall-type bounce number featuring the two tenors – Carrick is the rhytmic inspiration – super atmospheric trumpet. (2) A good vocal duet between Brian and Nina with Brian also on clarinet. (3) Brian is back on tenor – this is a typical Kid Thomas style New Orleans rock ‘n’ roll number, and that’s OK because many experts claim that rock ‘n’ roll evolvedfrom ‘our’ jazz. On this showing they’re right. (4) A charming Nina vocal, and how unusual to hear the words to this one. Jensen’s backing sax is a little coarse. (5) Good Bruhner vocal and brilliant trumpet, full of ideas and drive – Brian’s little clarinet riffs here are sensationally good. (6) A Carrick vocal with lovely timing and phrasing – he really is natural. (7) Now on this Lewis classic workout, if you remember the Lewis version, (I am presuming that George played metal clarinet on the record?), you can judge the difference between the metal and the wood clarinets. (8) A Nina vocal with lovely, bouncy, sensitive backing. (9) Carrick is here at his rocking, pulsating best on tenor sax. Bruhners vocal is fine, and there’s some excellent and sympathetic piano, as there is on other tracks. (10)A disciplined ‘tear up’ with Brian on clarinet creating some lovely, riff-type figures which push things along and heighten the excitement. Good Nina and Brian vocal. (11) A tribute to George Lewis, but with unique Carrick touches – lovely stuff. (12) A Nina vocal vehicle with outstanding wailing from Carrick in the background, with excellent Bruhner and Jensen on tenor. I am told that I perhaps too often criticise rhythm sections. This one is fine, light and always creating great cross rhytms. On every number this band gets great things happening, and this is no small way due to the excellent understanding of the idiom by the whole rhytm section, in particular Nina on banjo, who, as Percy Humphrey would say, if he could hear her, “She knows…”