No time at all since Mostly Other People Do the Killing’s last album Slippery Rock, the arch pasticheurs’ smooth jazz homage, was released, bassist Moppa Elliott’s maverick outfit return in late-September with Red Hot, their label Hot Cup has confirmed. Wryly trad-tastic as a riotous seven-piece this time with a knowing and amused yet affectionate take on the jazz of the 1920s and 1930s, trumpeter Peter Evans seems to be enjoying himself on ‘Zelienople’ (that’s one of the obligatory Pennsylvania references, a band habit) while the dreaded banjo via some electronics makes a triumphant post-modern return to prominence on title track ‘Red Hot’ apparently mashing up Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. It’s good to hear a C melody saxophone for a change, courtesy of Jon Irabagon, again an instrument that is faithful to the period. But ‘King of Prussia’ steps out of character a bit and even squeezes in a bit of Joe Jackson’s ‘Steppin’ Out’ for some reason with a bit of Scott Joplin as a tease and goes free as well. That’s only the half of it.
Mostly Other People Do The Killing tackle trad on new album Red Hot. Released in the US on 24 September