Big Bad Voodoo Daddy- Live

This album was recorded in 2003, just after their fifth studio album.

The concept, however, is fatally flawed, because no CD can reproduce the amazing experience that is a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (BBVD) live concert.

... however it gives it a pretty good shot, starting out with the perfect introduction: "Ladies and gentlemen, the baddest band on any stand: Big.... Bad..... Voodooooooooo.... DADDYYYYYY!!!".

The opening track, The Boogie Bumper, then sets the scene quite well (albeit let down by some out-of-tune horns). Jumpin' Jack then kicks it up a gear with the timeless combination of jungle drums, swirling horns, a pulsing bassline and a bouncing piano. It is all tied together with frenetic energy, and the result is a bundle of fun. Kings of Swing is similarly fantastic, showing that BBVD have got high-energy swing down to a fine art.

The latin groove of I Wanna Be Just Like You (aka Jungle Book Theme) adds a nicely variety, and is complemented by a great horn line. Unfortunately, by the end it feels like it's flogging a dead horse, as the chorus is repeated over and over.

Also featuring an interesting beat is You Know You Wrong, a great piano-led tune. I do enjoy the song in its own right, but it also serves a far greater purpose. And, for me, the horn glissando is references to the ending throughout the song are a wonderful tease. That tease being how the ending leads into...

Big Time Operator. Wow. This is probably my favourite BBVD song. The crazy, bouncing party energy and the story of a seriously classy dude is a guaranteed hit. It feels like the band are egging each other on in tongue-in-cheek competition, yet at the same time they are working together to create wonderful music. For example, the piano bashing away in the background feels like part of the song, yet if you listen closely he's basically going off tap soloing throughout the song, yet it fits perfectly. A minor quibble is that on the CD, the song seems to drag out. But watching the DVD it all just feels oh so right.

Minnie the Moocher is a bit overdone and cheesy, but it's still great fun.

Oh Yeah is vintage BBVD pop neo-swing. Brilliant. You and Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight is more of the same, however I find it doesn't hit the heights of Oh Yeah (except for the wonderful bridge).

While I Like It and Please Baby are not really standout songs in my book, they work well to inject some variety into precedings.

And after we're back from this breather, Mr Pinstripe Suit appears to knock our socks off! The is another featuring huge energy, brilliant horns lines and an engaging story. Also, it makes for a great pop song, thanks to the catchy singalong chorus.

Simple Songs is a nice vaudeville tune. So Long Farewell Goodbye also is well executed, if not really my cup of tea. However it is completely undermined by not being the last song on the CD. This honour goes to Always Gonna Get Ya, unfortunately either my attention span is too short or the CD is flogging a dead horse by this stage!

Despite all my raving, as I said before, the CD doesn't do the band justice. Which is why the included DVD is another level of enjoyment. Any time I'm moaning about some minor detail above for the CD version, would have been just part of a wonderful experience while watching the DVD. This especially applies to my criticisms that some of the songs drag out on the CD. There is no sense of this whatsoever when you watch the live concert, every second of it is a treat.

Other benefits of the DVD are the on-stage antics of the band. They're barely ever standing still- instead they strut, prowl and bounce around stage as appropriate. The "naked" piano is also poetry in motion, as is the soloists heckling each other, trading 4s, etc. This isn't a concert- the band are having a  party on stage, and we're lucky enough to be invited to watch!

The sound quality is nicely crisp and the instruments are very well balanced. A minor gripe is that the horn section lacks top-end sparkle, but on the other hand, the clarity of the percussion is brilliant. It's an impressive effort, especially considering that it's a live recording.

Favourite songs

Jumpin' Jack, You Know You Wrong, Big Time Operator, Minnie the Moocher, Oh Yeah, Kings of Swing, Mr Pinstripe Suit, Simple Songs

Worthwhile?

A classic of the neo-swing genre.

PS the CD is great, but you MUST watch the DVD, people!!