Kids are Jumpin'
The Nightshift Blues Band
NSSB Productions
1999
10 tracks
Some of the best bands in Canada are local phenomena, bar bands who enjoy a local or regional popular fan base but are mostly unknown beyond that. There are many factors which may keep a group of talented musicians at that level, but every once in a while a band breaks out to find a broader audience. The Nightshift Blues Band has that potential, but the boys have some work to do yet.
Musically Kids are Jumpin' is an uneven release. Few of the songs stand out as exceptional (although a few do), and at least one might better have been left out of the mix until it could be polished further. As with this group's first (1997) release Bullet from a Gun, a saving grace is the excellent blues-writing skills of George K. Tirpko and Jerry Salfi. Tirpko and Salfi manage to write original blues which, when played and sung have the sound and feel of the classics. The respect these men have for their antecedents, the blues greats of the past, is very clear in their work.
My personal favourites on this release are "Price that I Pay" with it's lively jump blues sound, the rocking "Blood from Stone" and "Roll me Baby," and the slow blues: Tirpko's angry "Tore me Out" and Salfi's sensitive "He Can't Love You." None of the other songs, while good enough in their own right, are memorable, and serve more as fill between the cuts that do stand out. Because of the unassuming nature of half the songs, this release is more likely to serve as background music (say at a party or in a bar) than to inspire the listener to come back and listen more closely.
Releasing a selection of music most suitable for backgound and dancing is not necessarily a bad thing. That choice does, however, narrow the potential audience. I wonder how many more listeners this group could reach if they included only Tirpko and Salfi's very best work.
"Slip it In" might better have been left off this release or at least placed in a position other than the first cut. This song has a number of problems. The opening drums sound hollow and perhaps even electronic, giving it a false feel from the get go. At four minutes and fourteen seconds long, mostly repeating the words "slip it in" over a rarely varying rhythmic background, this song quickly becomes boring. As well, whether intended or not, the song bears an uncanny resemblance to the old country hit "Rub it In" (but it's not as good as the original).
Taken as a whole, Kids are Jumpin' is a solid, listenable collection of blues. A few songs rise above the norm, with excellent writing and performance to match. These are the songs that may eventually raise The Nightshift Blues Band out of that bar band groove to where they can reach a broader audience. While, in some ways, this release is not quite up the standard of the band's first, it again shows the potential for growth. If Tirpko and Salfi, can show the restraint to include only their best writing and performance, their next release should be gangbusters. I can't wait to hear it.
While we're waiting, Kids are Jumpin', with its solid blues sound, is worth buying. Think of it as an appetizer, the tease before the main course arrives.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to learn more about George K. Tirpko, Gary Storin, and Jerry Salfi, visit the internet home of The Nightshift Blues Band.
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Review Written: March 14, 2000
Page Last modified: February 14, 2004
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