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Revolutionary Snake Ensemble — Serpentine
(Cuneiform Rune 549, 2025, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2025-12-03

Serpentine Cover art

It’s been a while since the last Revolutionary Snake Ensemble album, Live Snakes from 2014, but Ken Field and company are back with Serpentine, which was also recorded live (mostly). But with music like this, live is probably the way to go. For this outing, the Snakes are Field (also sax, flute), Tom Hall (tenor sax), Dave Harris (trombone, tuba), Phil Neighbors (drums), Black Newman (double bass), and Jerry Sabatini (trumpet), and the overall vibe evokes party time in New Orleans. They hit the ground running with “The Skunk Is D’funk’d,” a rousing upbeat number full of punchy rhythms, funky bass lines, and catchy melodies. “Buck” follows in a similar vein, and then “The Water Is Wide” enters slow, moody territory, taking the traditional tune as a launching point for emotive solos. “Barrendo Road” is a brief gem, slinky and sassy, with tuba and bass turning in star performances without getting in each other’s way. Other highlights include a cover of Frank Zappa’s “Son of Mr Green Genes,” “Plankitude,” and “Xonk,” both of which occupy the more energetic side of the band’s material. Several other tracks revisit slower tempos, allowing the musicians to stretch out more. All in all, Serpentine is a fun excursion into jazz that doesn’t take itself seriously. Don’t be put off by the fact that it was recorded live — you’ll hardly notice that once the band gets going, and the spontaneous energy is palpable.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): Ken Field, Revolutionary Snake Ensemble

More info
http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/serpentine

 

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