Erin Harpe and The Delta Swingers - The Christmas Swing (2018)
Erin Harpe and The Delta Swingers - The Christmas Swing (2018)
01. Jingle Bell Blues 02. Merry Christmas 03. The Night Before Christmas 04. At The Christmas Ball 05. Merry Christmas (Here I Come) 06. The Christmas Swing 07. Christmas Is A-Comin' 08. Drink And Get Drunk 09. Run Run Rudolph 10. Auld Lang Syne Erin Harpe – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars Jim Countryman – electric bass Matt "Charles" Prozialeck – harmonica and percussion Chris Anzalone – drums and percussion
The first, glowing review has come in of our new holiday album "The Christmas Swing", from our friend Aj Wachtel! Thanks for the nice words Aj! Check it out:
"This music is for the listener who would rather celebrate the holidays with their friends and family drinking at the bar with a live band instead of enjoying the yuletide with the solitude and warmth of their own cozily lit living room fireplace; contemplating good times past. This is drinking music driven by the dynamo Erin Harpe and her Memphis Minnie inspired rural blues guitar finger picking and great, great voice.
Erin plays all the guitars including the slide guitar; and sings all the vocals and can also be heard on the washboard. Jim Countryman is on bass, snaps and claps, Matt 'Charles' Prozialeck blows electric and acoustic harmonicas, and Chris Anzalone is stationed behind the kit. They are tight, first-rate and powerful: a groove band with plenty of hooks; and their inspired individual performances make their first X-mas album really rocking; with red-hot music that will make your holidays even more fun. The CD features Erin's two songs and her own arrangements of traditionals and tunes by Chuck Berry, Bessie Smith, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Leadbelly. Check out the trad opening cut 'Jingle Bell Blues,' Erin's uptempo 'The Night Before Christmas' that showcases both her guitar playing and her voice, 'At The Christmas Ball' with great piano by John Juxo, Leadbelly's uptempo 'Christmas Is A-Coming' with the nice harmonica, Chuck's classic 'Run Run Rudolph' where it's a real treat to hear Erin cover Berry's two string leads, The title track, 'The Christmas Swing' written by Erin and Rosy Rosenblatt who also plays harp on the cut. It's a reworking of their 2011 hit 'The Delta Swing' And finally, the closer 'Auld Lang Syne' where she sings along with her kazoo. She also plays her kazoo on the only non-holiday track on the album 'Drink And Get Drunk,' by Bo Carter which again features her stunning singing; I just love when she harmonizes with herself, and I really dig her talented blues and r&b group. Erin says: 'this is a holiday album for music fans who really don't like Christmas music:' and she's absolutely right on that account. Support your local music and buy this great stocking stuffer CD right now!" ---erinharpe.com
download (mp3 @320 kbs):