Honky Bardo

"The Swing Ninjas are that rare thing: a revivalist band that actually has contemporary relevance." Record Collector Magazine Brightons SWING NINJAS are back! Their new album HONKY BARDO (Freshly Squeezed 2020) picks up right where they left off. The vintage style swing band evolved from a walkabout busking trio via 3 self-released cover version albums, to their current fully-formed 7-piece line-up of Brighton jazz talent. A New Orleans influenced big-band whose first self-penned studio album of originals DO YA HALLELUJAH (Freshly Squeezed 2015) showcased their quirky vision and on-point songwriting, honed over many years working the streets and bars of Europe. Since then they have continued a busy gigging schedule holding down a weekly swing-dance residency in Brighton while gigging weekends everywhere from the WOMAD festival (released as their 5th album LIVE AT WOMAD) to the Bahrain Jazz Festival and even a short tenure in New Orleans itself. The release of their 6th Album HONKY BARDO features, as before, their acoustic vintage sound (no Electro here) and as such comes across as a mongrel cross between Squirrel Nut Zippers, Dr John or Allen Toussaint. However, while the previous studio album was a blackly humorous and distinctly wry British gumbo of songs about life, lust & penitence, it was also very much a swing album. The new album has a more earthy vintage R&B feel; Less good-time swing and more juke joint boogie. The first singles DO YA HALLELUJAH and JOY SHE BRINGS are both good examples of the new sound. As before, the superb song writing and musicianship speak for themselves, but listening to the Ninja?s is like passing an open door to a subterranean jazz cellar; like a clarion call to the back alleys of Brighton?s labyrinthine Lanes. The music is part jaded lyrical cynicism and part joyous musical celebration. You may choose to walk on, but if you do take the steps down into the cellar club, you will have a damn fine time, and maybe even come out a slightly changed person!