Rudy Royston’s Flatbed Buggy is a Rolling Stone Editors pick
Flatbed Buggy has been elected as a best new album by Rolling Stone!
Senior Music Editor Hank Shteamer has the following to say about Rudy Royston‘s newly-released album:
“The basic instrumentation of jazz hasn’t changed much in around 70 years, so even small tweaks can make a band stand out. For his third LP, Rudy Royston — whose crisp, propulsive drumming has powered groups led by Bill Frisell, Dave Douglas and many others — opts for three uncommon timbres: Gary Versace’s accordion, John Ellis’ bass clarinet and Hank Roberts’ cello. Rounded out by Joe Martin on bass, the quintet conveys an array of earthy moods inspired by the leader’s Texas childhood. “boy…MAN” starts off sounding like an old spiritual, as Ellis shares a somber theme with Roberts’ bowed cello, but ends up as a funky stomp. “Bobblehead” features rambunctious swing, with Versace and Roberts trading playful phrases. Brief interludes like the back-porch-style “Hold My Mule,” which shows off the cellist’s twangy pizzicato work, heighten the album’s cinematic feel. “I want it to feel like there’s dust going on, on this record,” Royston says in a promo clip. The offbeat ensemble he’s assembled here helps him stir up plenty.”
Grab the CD and/or download from our store on Bandcamp, as well as iTunes, Amazon and more. And stream on Apple Music and Spotify as well.
