Blue Mambas Bluer Than You Think (Rollin Records)
To introduce the Blue Mambas, they are kind of a super group constituted essentially by very active (and proficient) elements of South East England Rockabilly and Blues scene: Wayne Hopkins (double bass player for the Playboys amongst other acts), Andy Wren (Lead Guitar for the $lim $lip & the $liders), Tony Diavolo (Lead Guitar), Ian Bowerman (Drums, also have his own amazing blues bopper one man band Dollar Bill check on youtube website), Adam Burney (Harmonica) and finally Jerry Brill (vocals, well known as the lead vocals for the Frantix). Their sound is characterized by a mixture of Rhythm & Blues with a Surf Guitar, playing mostly instrumental music but with some vocals themes.
Wayne Hopkins his responsible for most of their original material Lockjaw, The Claw and I need to highlight the great Welcome to Largo, one of my favourite of the album. Andy Wren is the author or another of my favourite songs, Riptide Surfer where is guitar just sings a beautiful melody full of colour.
In reading the liner notes, I felt quite surprise to learn Wayne Hopkins is actually playing a double bass as it sounds pretty much as an electric bass most of the time.
The versions they play on this album, I would expect to hear them more on a Rhythm & Blues album rather than on a Surf record, but they are making justice to the title of their album, theyre bluer than you think, and I thought. Spot on!