Contino - Back Porch Dogma

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2012
Time:55:09 
Size:128,8 MB 
Label:Blind Pig Records 
Styles:Modern Electric Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Rotgut Run - 4:23
 2. Big Tent - 5:05
 3. V-8 Ford - 3:45
 4. Temptation - 4:39
 5. Zydeco Train - 4:30
 6. Dog Days - 4:50
 7. One Thing - 3:29
 8. Three Cool Cats - 3:25
 9. Tain’t - 4:05
10. Nothin’ You Can Do - 4:32
11. I Don’t Want To Know - 4:46
12. Monkey - 4:25
13. Dino’s - 3:09

Musicians:
Pete Contino - Accordion & Vocals
Al Ek - Guitars, Harmonicas, Mandolin & Vocals
Billy Truitt - Keyboards
Rob Edwards - Upright Bass
Jim Lovgren - Drums & Percussion
Maria Muldaur - Duet Vocals on 'Big Tent'
Omega Rae & Suzan Z - All Backing Vocals
Joel Jaffe - Percussion on 'Temptation'

Here's another CD, similar to the last I wrote about in that veteran musicians put their spin on classic styles, although this one is slightly less blues oriented. But it's still full of fresh ideas and fine rootsy music. The Las Vegas-based group is called Contino, after its leader, accordionist Pete Contino, son of legendary accordionist Dick Contino, and the album is "Back Porch Dogma" (Blind Pig Records).
The album is filled with enthusiastically eclectic music (I know, too often "eclectic" just means that nobody could figure out what they are doing - but not here.) Contino has made a snappy stew out of some blues and zydeco with some tasty seasonings added.
They open things open with a shuffling, rollicking, piano-laced, old-fashioned ode to the classic American tradition of running moonshine, "Rotgut Run." Follow that with hand-clapping and harp work on a gospel-flavored "Big Tent," with a gritty duet between Pete and guest Maria Muldaur, her smoky pipes still smoking. After that you can insert a down-and-dirty cover (one of the few here) of Willie Love's "V-8 Ford," a lyrical reading of Tom Wait's "Temptation," and then the original "Zydeco Train." One of the best things about this band's work is that they can re-create music that feels traditional but make it very contemporary. They make more zydeco on their own "Tain't," and even more blues on the tough little "I Don't Want to Know." Then there's a little country blues on "Dino's." It's all good.Likewise, I don't want to know if this is all rootsy or Americana. As far as I'm concerned it's just plain fine down-home music. The musicians are all well-seasoned themselves -- there's vocalist Contino, Bob Edwards on upright bass, Al Ek on guitars, harp and vocals, Jim Lovgren on drums and Billy Truitt on keyboards. They've grown fresh, vital music from the sturdy roots of American music. You should enjoy the fruit.

Back Porch Dogma