Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints
Western Soul
Self-released
Somewhere in the dusty crossroads between the southern cradle of the blues and the ballrooms of music city wanders Birch Pereira: bass producer, composer, teacher, and mastermind of Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints, whose sophomore release Western Soul is out this March. The Gin Joints’ latest effort further expands the jumped-up jukebox sound of 2016’s Dream Man, Golden Ear Award-winner for Northwest Jazz Recording of the Year.
Back again is Pereira’s own “Million Dollar Quartet”: guitarist Jason Goessl, drummer Adrian Van Batenburg (alternating with David Bush), lead guitarist Daniel Rainard, and trumpeter Raymond Larsen.
Larsen, along with Jacob Zimmerman on clarinet, really play “hot” on swing numbers like “A Love I Can’t Explain.” Here, Rainard runs like Django himself, while Goessl bends strings and rumbles like a true trucker on Sun Records-inspired tunes like the genius “I Don’t like I Did Before,” where listeners can also savor Van Batenburg’s tricky but firm brush work. Contributions by saxophonists Saul Cline and Kate Olson, vocalists Jimmie Herrod and Kate Voss, organist Joe Doria, and others, complete the Gin Joints’ high-level studio ensemble.
Since Dream Man, Pereira has found himself more as a songwriter, hemming the dress of Tin Pan Alley sentiment to a modern cut, as when contemplating the common whims of weather, relationships, and age on the redeeming triplet-punch ballad “Could it be Something Else.” Though his urbane, almost introverted takes on standards like “St. James Infirmary”—staged by the album’s roomy production—have their own hazy shade of blue.
Rather than pure novelties, the various 45 rpm pictures of the Gin Joints, whether washed by mournful country swells (as on the finale “If You Ever Change Your Mind”) or painted with palm tree montuno figures (as on “Carioca”) all restate the positive ideals and attitudes of roots music that, in their own way, have made silver-tongued musicians such as Pereira so inspired to begin with.
–Ian Gwin
CD Release Party!
Sunday, March 11, 7:30pm @ Triple Door
Join Birch Pereira & the Gin Joins and Sundae + Mr. Goessl on March 11 for a double album release celebration at the Triple Door! Tickets are $20 advance/ $25 day of show and are available at thetripledoor.net.
