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One of the best hot string bands working today just happens to be from Japan: The Sweet Hollywaiians.
"Ticklin' the Strings" is the band's fourth album and is a wonderful, rich outing. The boys in the band start with their foundation of "hot" string band jazz and mix in sounds that we've come to think of as definitively "hawaiian". To this they add seasonings of calypso, swing, blues and between-the-wars italian music. It's a tasty punch they're serving up to us, one that goes down good on a lazy summer afternoon day.
The end result is charming and gratifying but leads me to believe that the term "hot" string music is misleading. The Sweet Hollywaiians have such a confident, smooth (and often restrained) style that the music comes acroos cool and soothing... more "chilled" string music than anything else.
If you're into this style of music "Ticklin' the Strings" is sure to satisfy, if your only experience this genre is the work of Leon Redbone then this collection is a perfect way to explore more of the sounds offered by vintage string/jazz music.
Very nice.
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