It's a good thing I know Arne Skage is from Norway. Otherwise, I would have sworn that with the 'Rootwork' album, we were dealing with a release from the swamps of New Orleans and Louisiana.
An album with wonderfully sultry, groovy funky music, leaving plenty of room for blues, funk, soul, and zydeco.
Arne Skage was part of pianist Reidar Larsen's band and made his solo debut in 2021 with the album 'Procrastination Blues.'
On his new album, Arne (vocals, (slide) guitar, and bass) is joined by Big Chief Juan Pardo (vocals, percussion), Sven Eivind Stakkeland (Hammond B3), Dr. Bekken (piano), Øyvind Grong (bass), Stein Inge Braekhus (drums), Doug Cooper (trumpet), Craig Klein (trombone), Jason Mingledorff (saxophone), John “Papa” Gros (Hammond B3), René Coman (bass), Doug Belote (drums), Terence Higgins (hand percussion, including Dirty Dozen Brass Band), Stene Osmundsen (drums), Arne Skage Sr. (trumpet), Christian Sunde (saxophone), and Jonne Frishberg (fiddle, accordion, among others Michael Doucet).
The album starts off wonderfully groovy with the traditional "Tootie Ma." A loosely swinging New Orleans number with poignant slide guitar playing and soulful Hammond B3 playing by Sven Eivind Stakkeland. Then comes the lazily swinging "Thalulah" with once again a funky New Orleans sound, this time with piercing slide guitar work.
"Keeping The Blues Alive" is then a sultry, gritty boogie with an important message. The semi-acoustic "Nothing’s Made To Last" has a sultry swamp sound with a compelling, driving rhythm. The sound of the swamp is also present in the lazily pumping "See You Down The Road."
The instrumental "Comeback On The Wayback" is a languid New Orleans funk number with the poignant slide guitar taking the spotlight. "I Yi Yi" is a cover of the Clifton Chenier song. Funky zydeco with Arne's burning slide, Jonne Frishberg's grooving accordion and fiddle, and soulful Hammond B3 playing.
Even the closing track, "Word To The Wise," is a cover, this time of Leslie B. Smith. A sultry, swaying song with slight Tom Waits undertones.
'Rootwork' by Arne Skage is a very convincing Norwegian funky swamp album!
Peter Marinus
