NOTTY'S JUG SERENADERS

Demonstration March / Demo 2002

CD (D.2002)

Bill Flowe, Geige/Concertina/Stimme * Notker Homburger, Stimme/Gitarre/Jug * Andi Reinhard, Alt- und Bariton-Saxophon/Jug/Percussion/Stimme.

Aufgenommen von Andi Reinhard im Sommer 2001 (*) und im Frühjahr 2002 in Frauenfeld (CH).

CRAWDAD HOLE / YOU DON'T LOVE ME (*) / DER 25. NOVEMBER (*) / FISHING BLUES / WHAT'S THE MATTER BLUES / BODENSEE POLKAS (*) / SHORTNIN' BREAD (*) / INDIAN WAR WHOOP / WEE DOT / TURKEY IN THE STRAW & CHICKEN REEL & BILLY FAULKNER'S DELIGHT & MISSISSIPPI REEL (*)

“ Basically a revamped version of this German based outfit’s previous demo CD which was reviewed back in Blueprint Vol.2 #46. This though is a ten tracker and stronger than the previous incarnation, with five songs reprised from the earlier release and further tracks added. As always with these guys, musical skill, imagination and a sense of both purpose and humor pervade the CD; Notker plays some excellent guitar (some beautiful bottleneck on “What’s The Matter Blues”) and jug, American fiddler and concertina player Bill Flowe is in top form whilst saxman (alto and baritone!), jugman and percussionist Andi Reinhard supplies some very inventive sounds – all three sing in their own inimitable fashion (!). The material ranges from the folky, bluesy numbers such as “Crawdad Hole” and “Shortnin’ Bread” through a Swiss / German traditional piece (“Bodensee Polkas”) and American old-time music (the four reel medley that closes this set) on to an immaculately performed “Fishing Blues” and the astounding reworking of the Willie Cobbs blues “You Don’t Love Me”. Just the sort of variety you would expect from a real jug band in fact – and these guys are closer to that ideal than most. Someone really should pick up on this outfit.”

(Norman Darwen, Blues In Britain Vol.1 #13, January 2003)