Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow (Hyena): A-
The tutelage of Ellis Marsalis is readily apparent in the work of ex-Charlie Hunter band saxophonist Ellis, and explains how the blood of New Orleans flows within the native North Carolinian. Forming a new band with only sousaphone (Matt Perrine), organ (Gary Versace) and drums (Jason Marsalis) behind him is a stroke of genius. With the sousaphone playing the bass-like beat of a tuba in the second-line tradition, Ellis has the freedom to explore grooves as unfettered as their titles (“Tattooed Teen Waltzes with Grandma”). As the album’s title suggests, the playfulness is enough to compel you to reach for the nearest umbrella and kick up your heels. Download: “Three-Legged Tango in Jackson.”
(Appearing Wednesday at the Regattabar, Cambridge.)
