Chevalier Brothers (the)

Chevalier Brothers (the) – Live and Jumping

Disques Cheval GG1
Five Guys Named Moe – Reet Petite And Gone – Fat Sam From Birmingham – Airmail Special – Self Inflicted – The Joint Is Jumping – The Jam Man – One More Drink Bartender – Wake Up Baby

Saxophonist Ray Irwin (ex-Dynamite Band) formed the Chevalier Brothers with French guitarist Patrice Serapiglia in 1982. They subsequently adopted the pseudonyms Ray Gelato and Maurice Chevalier.
After a few months, the lineup stabilized with Ray Gelato, Maurice Chevalier, Roger Beaujolais (vibraphone), Clark Kent (aka Anders Jane of the Stargazers) on double bass, and John Piper (drums). They quickly developed an energetic stage show.
They entered the studio to record two EPs but were unable to fully capture the essence and personality of the Chevalier Brothers on vinyl. It was then decided to cut a live album, and thus Live and Jumping was recorded in March 1985 over two evenings at St. Mary’s College, Twickenham, and the Dublin Castle. The album was released on their own label (Les Disques Cheval).
With just nine tracks, Live and Jumping delivers a concise, hard-hitting, and uncompromising set. The program includes covers of classics by Benny Goodman and Charlie Christian (Air Mail Special), Slim Gaillard (The Jam Man), Fats Waller (The Joint Is Jumpin’), and Louis Jordan (Five Guys Named Moe, Reet Petite and Gone, Fat Sam From Birmingham), but it also features much more compelling, unrestrained, and free-spirited versions of the band’s original compositions, such as Self Inflicted, One More Drink Bartender (where the vocal contributions of the singer and the band sound much more natural), and Wake Up Baby.
On stage, their natural element, each member gave their all. The Chevalier Brothers didn’t treat this music like a museum piece, nor did they try to recreate it. While respectful of its roots, they infused their music with humor, energy, and speed, blended genres, and didn’t hesitate to quote from all quarters.
This innovative approach, combined with high musical standards, gave them complete freedom and firmly anchored the group in its time. In this respect, the Chevalier Brothers extended what Joe Jackson had begun with his album Jumpin’ Jive and preceded the neo-swing movement of the mid-1990s by more than ten years.