Daily Planet

On Mic Conway’s National Junk Band’s new CD, Corporate Chook, mindless consumerism, amoral corporations and ageing hack musicians are all targets for the group’s jug band hilarity.

The playing is great, whether it’s in the jug band, swing or music hall tradition and the songs exhibit the group’s irreverence. Highlights are a portrait of an ageing musical saw player titled (groan!) the Worn Saw Concerto, a cover of John Lennon’s Crippled Inside and Mic’s revision of his live schtick, the race call of the universe into a race call of the conception, birth, life and death of the hapless everyman, Bruce.

Playlist

1421
Innuendo Out The Other
Philip DeGruy
Degruy-Gruy Music
NYC 6013 2 (US Import)
Philip DeGruy, Innuendo Out The Other
15 seconds (excerpt)
(solo 17-string elec guitar, fingerstyle; v quirky, virtuosic & humorous, more or less a bent-boogie)

1422
CD Cut 1 - 'Consume'
M.Conway, M.Holden, P.Donnison
ABC Music
Rouseabout Records RRR45 (Through MGM)
Mic Conway's National Junk Band - 'Corporate Chook'
3:05
(Austral arr and perf: Mic's raunched up voice and a gospel backing in song ironically urging us to consume as a substitute for love.)

Segue

1425
CD Cut 2 - 'Krazy Kapers'
Benny Carter, arr by the band
Pub Not Spec
Lejazzetal LJCD 08 www.lejazzetal.com
The George Washingmachine Quartet - 'Room 301 Sessions'
4:02
(Austral arr and perf: Hot Club of France styled quintet, with up, boppy minor instrumental)

1431
CD Cut 3 - 'Who Gave You A License to Drive Me Crazy'
Billy Milroy and Azo Bell
Assume AMCOS
Rouseabout Records RRR45 (Through MGM)
Mic Conway's National Junk Band - 'Corporate Chook'
3:42
(Austral arr and perf: Sound of a car starting, then Mic in crooner mode with a tempo vocal introduction to hokum song with lots of slide whistle, jug solo, kitchen sink rub board and car horns)

Segue

1435
CD Cut 4 - 'I Know That You Know'
Youmans/Caldwell
Pub Not Spec
Lejazzetal LJCD 09 www.lejazzetal.com
Evan Christopher - 'Django à la Créole'
5:22
(Part Austral perf: a tempo introduction on acoustic guitar into uptempo swing version of 1920's tune, featuring Evan Christopher's clarinet)

1443
CD Cut 2 - 'Look at New Orleans'
Bob Brozman
White Spats Music/BMI
Ruf Records RUF 1133 ( in Australia, through MRA: www.mraentertainment.com
worldwide: www.rufrecords.de/index.php )
Bob Brozman - 'Post-Industrial Blues'
5:50
(Double Bass and drums and Bob's National Tricone guitar and 7 String banjo and vocals in minor key song about the lack of caring in post-Katrina New Orleans)

Segue

1448
CD Cut 13 - 'Save Our Wetlands'
Mac Rebennack and Bobby Charles, horns arranged by Alonzo Bowens
Fonkalot Music, Inc. BMI and Music Patch BMI
429 Records CTX 418CD (distributed in Australia by Shock: www.shock.com.au, internationally: www.429records.com
Dr John and the Lower 911 - 'City That Care Forgot'
4:02
(Modern New Orleans Fonk with tight band Terrance Simien sharing the vocals on good time sounding song that calls for saving the Wetlands and says 'our leaders don't think we nuttin' but modern day slaves')

RADIO NATIONAL ALERT:

Dr John and the Lower 911 - 'City That Care Forgot' will be the featured CD on the Daily Planet on Wednesday 2nd of July

1454
CD Cut 8 - 'Worn Saw Concerto'
M.Conway, M.Holden, P.Donnison
ABC Music
Rouseabout Records RRR45 (Through MGM)
Mic Conway's National Junk Band - 'Corporate Chook'
3:07
(Austral comp and perf: over-the-top vocal introduction, then waltz in the voice of an old [hack] saw player, whose amorous adventures are over)

1458
CD Cut 8, 'Dinah'
Akst, Young
Pub Not Spec
Running Man CDRM002
(For e-commerce, lots of info & current tour schedule - he's in Australia for most March & April: www.bobbrozman.com )
Bob Brozman - 'Live Now'
One and a half minute excerpt
(Austral Perf: 'Live' & very lively - Bob sings & plays the resophonic ac guitar, Carolyn 'Cazzbo' Johns plays some super-limber tuba)

MIC CONWAY'S NATIONAL JUNK BAND GIG ALERT:

4 Jul : Fri : Bald Faced Stag Hotel (Leichhardt NSW)
5 July : Sat : The Shack (Narrabeen NSW)
1 Aug : Fri : The Clarendon Hotel (Katoomba NSW)
2 Aug : Sat : The Heritage Hotel (Bulli NSW)

Corporate Chook is out on Rouseabout Records through MGM Distribution 5th July 2008

Presenter

Lucky Oceans

Producer

Lucky Oceans