The Downtown Shimmy, by The Downtown Shimmy

The Downtown Shimmy

by The Downtown Shimmy

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1.	Amazing Grace 01:59	info	buy track
2.	John Henry 03:36	info	buy track
3.	I Am Through With You 04:53	info	buy track
4.	Drive Until The Morning Comes 04:37	info	buy track
5.	Work Song 04:52	info	buy track
6.	Leave That Damn Thing Alone 04:04	info	buy track
7.	Two Wheeled Machine 03:41	info	buy track
8.	Mercy 06:15	info	buy track
9.	I Don't Need No Doctor 05:11	info	buy track
10.	One Time 04:31	info	buy track

about

My introduction to the harmonica was through the blues. For many years I played nothing but the blues; then for many years I played no blues at all. Perhaps I needed a break. Or perhaps I was waiting to find a band like The Downtown Shimmy with whom to bring fresh approach to this well worn tradition. Whatever the reason, I am fortunate to be playing with this group of musicians comprising some exceptional Philadelphia talent. We all cherish the blues, but we also love other styles spawned by the blues. So our shade of color draws from various styles and eras, enriched with textures, dynamics, and grooves spanning vintage to contemporary.

A couple days after the new year arrived, I went into the studio with The
Downtown Shimmy and cut this CD. In less than a week it was recorded, mixed, mastered, designed, and sent off for pressing. The dog barking at our heels to get it done was the International Blues Challenge in Memphis at which we had been chosen to represent our hometown city of Philadelphia. Given this rare honor, we didn't want to show up empty handed to a competition drawing the finest blues bands from around the globe. So we brewed vats of coffee, burned candles at both ends, and taped our eyes open to get the album done in time. After many chewed fingernails and pulled hairs, the the fruits of our labor arrived, one day before our trip departure. Despite the rush, we never compromised the standards that we hold our music to. These tracks capture the textures, dynamics, and grooves which embed our songs. It's the stuff that propels our music forward, and with it the feet of dancers who are the audiences we often play for. John Philip Sousa once said, "Jazz will endure just as long as people hear it through their feet instead of their brains." Whatever style our music draws from, whatever era it connects to, we hope our fresh take on old traditions makes you kick up your heels too.

www.thedowntownshimmy.com
www.facebook.com/thedowntownshimmy

credits

released February 1, 2014

Band by: Josh Fialkoff (vocals, piano), Frank Velardo (guitar), Alex Maio (drums), Matt Keppler (bass), Ansel Barnum (harmonica)

Recorded at: Kawari Sound

Produced by: The Downtown Shimmy

Tracked by: Matt Weiss, Zach Goldstien

Mixed by: Matt Weiss

Mastered by: Paul Hammond

Graphic design by: Josh Fialkoff & Ansel Barnum

Recording studio sustenance by: Josh's can't-eat-just-one-bowl chili

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about

Ansel Barnum Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ansel plays a common instrument with uncommon finesse. Breaking with conventions and constraints, he makes the humble folk harmonica reach an expressive depth beyond its familiar style. His melodic versatility and vivid tone give this child's "toy" a mature, compelling voice that he has taken across diverse musical borders to show how underestimated the little (and belittled) instrument really is. ... more

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