Jim Campilongo And The 10 Gallon Cats
People tend to posit jazz and country at opposite ends of the spectrum, but, of course, there's long been a junction where the two schools mix it up. Call the resulting fracas western swing or cowboy jazz, it's maintained loyal adherents since Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys first rode the range. Jim Campilongo & the 10 Gallon Cats represent the state of the art in the genre. Campilongo an accomplished, innovative guitarist, penned 11 instrumentals for the group's self-titled debut. He and his sidemen (steel guitarist Joe Goldmark, bassist Chris Kee, and drummer Ken Owen) keep it clean, sweet, and snappy throughout. Only "Bully Cat," an intoxicatingly raunchy seven-minute roll in the mire, stretches out. The rest of the material clocks in at an average of three minutes. Nary a word is sung, but the tunes are so varied and lively that vocals would've spoiled the mood.--Steven Stolder