CD Reviews: Jambo Joe Bones, Barefoot Man, Dani Hoy, Dave McKenney

Jambo Joe Bones “Buccaneers, Ballads & Bellyflops”.

Like Don Middlebrook, Swim Skinny, and The Boat Drunks, Jambo proves once again you don’t have to live at the beach to act like you do. Hailing from the very un-tropical climes of Wisconsin, Jambo Joe nevertheless finds plenty of warm weather inspiration for his music. He also holds the distinction of having the best mustache in all of Trop Rock.

Jambo’s latest collection of beach worthy tunes kicks off with one of three songs on the cd that involve airplanes. ”Air Sunshine” is a bouncy number about an airline that doesn’t exist but would get a ton of Parrot Head business if it did. With hammocks and bar stools for seats, bikini-clad stewardesses, and Isaac from the Love Boat onboard to pour the libations…where can I buy a ticket? At the core, it’s a song about a subject many of us can relate to – escaping. In Jambo’s case, from “The coldest damn day of the winter” to “a tropical place”. Where, exactly, doesn’t really matter. It’s all in your head, after all. Speaking of in your head, “Mermaids Are For Real” makes a case for the existence of the finny females. At least, that’s Jambo’s story and he’s stickin’ to it. It wouldn’t be a proper Trop Rock cd without a drinking song or two. Check. “Margarita Bomb” is a cautionary tale that rocks, co-written by and featuring Bones’ frequent musical partner in crime, Amy M.

Another one of my favorite tracks is the loping country ditty, “On A Scale of One To Dumbass”. It’s an appropriate soundtrack for taking stock of a wild weekend: “You can’t bellyflop on a table top, or swim skinny while you’re baked…” You may have heard a live version of it on my BeachFrontRadio show, “Trop Rockin’ Live”. I mentioned there are three airplane songs on “Buccaneers, Ballads & Bellyflops”. “The Plane Left Without Me” is a familiar tale of having one (or three) too many and “accidentally” missing the last plane out. And track six, “Dairy Air” happily reps Wisconsin while showcasing Jambo’s often salty sense of humor. And who doesn’t like polka music and double entendres? The nautical bow on Jambo’s latest cd is “Living Like A Pirate”, a sea faring sing-along that inspires rum drinking and once again features Amy M singing lines like “Scallawags are after me booty”. It’s also another song I have played a live version of on TRL…

http://www.jamboacousticmusic.com/

  

The Barefoot Man “Sand Dollars”

From his beach-side perch at the Reef Resort in Grand Cayman, George Nowak, aka, The Barefoot Man is a local legend for his raucous and rowdy shows, not to mention his penchant for getting women to want his autograph in places where the sun don’t usually shine. His bio claims that he has written 2,000 songs and recorded 500 of them. Swerving from Calypso and Reggae to Country – and a little bit of everything in between -  the nine originals and three covers on his latest release, “Sand Dollars” happily add to that collection.

Personal favorites include: “Sailing on Moku”, a nautical tune that rides a Calypso beat. The pedal steel infused “I’ll Never Leave Nippers Again”, a song that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Hank Snow cd. And the Hawaiian-y title track, “Sand Dollar”.

“It’s A Rental” pokes a stick at inconsiderate tourists, “Have You Tried Fishing” offers a tropical solution to the daily grind, and “Dumb Ass” puts the Barefoot spin on the old Kenny Rogers classic, “Lucille”

Much of  ‘Foot’s notoriety is based on his “not for kids” material…Tracks like “The Pussycat Song” and “Beaver Island” always get the crowd fired up. “Sand Dollars” includes the equally salty, “Should Have Used A Condom”. And his cover of the Great Mighty Sparrow’s “Congo Man” throws plenty of double entendres, along with a couple of not so willing females, into the cook pot.

http://www.barefootman.com/

The other two cds I received this month came via Drop Box instead of the mail. The only down side to that delivery method is that I don’t get the cd sleeve with liner notes, and, often, lyrics… But, I do have the music and that’s the best part!

Dani Hoy “Songs Of Love & The Ocean”.

Dani’s disc is one of the most pleasantly surprising albums I’ve heard in a while from a relative newcomer. It’s also great to hear another female voice on the Trop Rock scene, especially out in front and recording solo records.

Like the Barefoot Man, Dani plies a variety of musical genres – from the Zydeco inspired title track to the Blues/Country ballad, “Walking In The Rain In New Orleans”. “Summer Songs”  throws some ska-horns and Hawaiian slack-key guitar in to the Gumbo for a great top down driving song. ”Gone Native” sounds like Bonnie Raitt at the beach. “Last Day On The Island” is a smoky, down tempo number that conjurs up images of candle lit tables in an after-hours Caribbean bar. And “Whiskey Kisses” gets the full old-school country treatment from veteran producer, Kevin Johnston.

Although her bio says she’s been playing guitar and singing for several decades, it’s only been in the last four or five years that she has taken her talent out on the road. Twice nominated for Trop Rock Music Association Awards, Dani’s first cd, featuring songs like “Tropi-Gal”  and “Meet Me On The Boardwalk”, introduced her to the Trop Rock world. “Songs Of Love…” should make her a full-sail force to be reckoned with.

http://danihoy.com/

Dave McKenney “Four Hour Lunch Break”.

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, singer/songwriter Dave McKenney stays busy playing all along the eastern Seaboard. He has also made appearances at Parrot Head phriendly events like Stars On The Water and Meeting Of The Minds. Another relative newcomer to the Trop Rock world, Dave’s debut disc features mostly originals from what I can tell (again, not having the cd sleeve means I don’t have songwriting credits). The one track I’m sure is a cover is John Frinzi’s “Bouyancy”. Of the originals, several tracks stand out – including “The Inlet”, which features some nice acoustic finger picking, the bouncy country of “Florida Kind Of Sunday”, the jazzy “Martin’s View”, and the appropriately titled “Carolina Laid Back Point Of View”.  Maryland boaters and trop rock fans will also recognize the subject of “The Big Owl”. If I was going to judge by the music and lyrics of “Four Hour Lunch Break”, McKenney seems to believe in “No worries, no hurries”…and that’s a worldview that works for me. Add this cd to the collection, pour a glass of good Rum and throw it on next time you’re sitting on your deck watching the sun go down.

http://www.davemckenneymusic.com/