Maurice Hope – September 21, 2016 at 11:58AM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Singer-songwriter, bandleader and more, Cera Impala has a few strings to her bow. Maybe, even more than those on trusty her banjo and ukelele put together.
Supported on the album by her hand-picked band, The New Prohibition; Joel ‘Jello’ Sanderson (double bass) and ‘Dr.’ Dirk Ronneburg (fiddle) plus on selected tracks Mary MacMaster (electric harp), Pete Garnett (accordion), Calvin Arsenia (harp, vocals), Alan Ross (harmonica), Michael Tuttle (double bass), Jens Hetze (drums) and Brieuc Bestel (scratching) the music is nothing if not innovative and diverse.
With her husband, Ronneburg steeped in blues and swing the music, with double bass setting the foundation to often as not a swing inclined rhythm; as on “Roll A Joint” and the tune that kicks off the album “Fingernail Moon” (as accordion and fiddle produce a mournful sound, so good is it I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest Cara should offer it to American band, Hot Club Of Cowtown)
Her banjo adds to the direction take of “Flicker n’ Shine” and likewise so the artful, innovative “Caroline” as she prises open the envelop in intelligent fashion. “Tumbleweed” with fiddle and banjo to the fore it chugs along in subdued fashion, a far cry from dance-tune “Blackbird” (as a vibrant, gypsy powered Eastern European influence takes hold, beautiful it is too).
Latter part of the album comprises of the intricate Americana piece “Ponderosa”; it is something you could well imagine the Be Good Tanyas performing. “Magic” is an artful folk jazz number, cleverly done it is too. While coming complete with scratching, you have the innovative “Home”. While I admire Impala’s creative talent I feel there is a genuine need for her to be a little less diverse, and to keep it a little simpler on some tracks.
Maurice Hope
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