Chris Tyle's Silverleaf Jazz Band

Second only to Preservation Hall, I really like these guys a lot.. We heard them live almost by accident in NOLA 20 year ago and really liked their sound. Only bought one recording at the time and decided to add to the collection now. Was not disappointed. They have that real old time trad jazz sound and a really good clarinet.

Probably should give it only 4 stars (like "The Smiler"), but I just love this stuff and loved sitting through Tyle's three sets in New Orleans years back -- each set was a new insight into early 20th Century jazz, informative and thoroughly entertaining. Chris should be better known. Get this as a "4" and love it like the "5" it is to me.

This is an exciting quartet of established professional jazz musicians playing old New Orleans numbers with a passion that leaves the competition in the dust. This little band is as hot as it gets. Chris Tyle's cornet and Orange Kellin's clarinet trade the lead and solos throughout. Both of them are relaxed and on fire where it counts. Tyle sings on 4 cuts as well. Steve Pistorius plays a mean two handed piano sounding, at times, like Jelly Roll Morton. He's great in this little band. John Gill is the drummer here and it's the same John Gill that plays trombone a la Turk Murphy. His drumming is absolutely first rate and is a real highlight of this fabulous disc.The sixteen tunes come from Armand Piron(4), W.C. Handy, Lovie Austin, Walter Melrose, Isham Jones, Jasper Taylor, Dick Oxtot, Fred Rose, Edgard Leslie, Joe Burke and Johnny St. Cyr. They're good old tunes that don't sound so old anymore.The band sounds beautiful on every cut. The solos are exciting and to the point. There is a relaxed cut step beat to the music that is a unique part of New Orleans traditional jazz. It's an infectious musical element that ensures the listener has a reason to dance or tap his/her toes.If you're looking for some outstanding small group New Orleans style jazz, this is the ticket. You're gonna love this one!