THE TIME JUMPERS – THE TIME JUMPERS (Rounder)

[Maurice Hope]

http://www.TheTimeJumpers.com

 

Nashville’s The Time Jumpers are a flexible ensemble; here you have members Vince Gill, Dawn Sears, Kenny Sears, ‘Ranger Doug’ Green, Dennis Crouch, Billy Thomas, Joe Spivey, Larry Franklin, Paul Franklin, Jeff Taylor and Andy Reiss in relaxed mood; it is one of those collaborations where egos are left on the hat stand and you have a bunch of guys (and the highly thought of vocalist Dawn) playing for fun.

 

Yes, The Time Jumpers is an ensemble who pour bucketfuls of love, joy and appreciation for the older style of music and  no needless frills (but untold class and skill) as country, swing, jazz, western and pop are doused in fiddles (three), pedal steel guitar, accordion, upright bass, guitars and mandolin in support of the singing voices of Sears, Gill and Ranger Doug (on the western pieces ‘Yodel Blues’; with Spears on harmony vocals and his own, ‘Ridin’ On The Rio’).

 

It is of no surprise that, Gill sings lead and harmony vocals on a bunch of the tracks (and also has a hand in writing no less than five of the 12 tracks) who with great support he brings a touch of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys to his and Leslie Satcher’s ‘New Star Over Texas’. That sounds every bit like a western swing standard Wills used to perform live!

Mundo Earwood’s ‘Texas On A Saturday Night’ like with Dawn’s singing of Harlan Howard’s ‘Someone Had To Teach You’ as covered by George Strait and Wade Hayes and ‘So Far Apart’ (that she had a hand in writing) it is an exquisite pieces of work, but when it comes to seamless efforts, multi-faceted musician Vince Gill is your man. Just sit back and let ‘The Woman Of My Dreams’ and the heart tugging ‘Three Sides Of Every Story’ wash over you and allow his peerless voice and lyrics do the rest.

 

Special note must also go out to Kenny Sears who wrote, and sings lead (with his wife, Dawn on harmony vocals) on the accordion, steel, fiddle and bass warmed ‘Nothing But The Blues’ while steel player Larry Franklin wrote the wonderful instrumental piece, ‘Texoma Bound’. What an opener, and though Nashville’s Station Inn, the ensemble’s local gig since 1998 isn’t just ‘round the corner there is this album plus their one and only previous, Jumpin’ Time live album available for purchase. 

 

                                                            Maurice Hope