Jim Self - My America 3 (2025)

My America 3 is actually the fourth of Self's many albums that we've reviewed over the years including My America 2 which came out in 2022. The amalgamation of the two genres - jazz and country - worked pretty well once I became attuned to the tuba lead which actually has quite a pleasant sound.

Needless to say there's a whole lot of country fiddling going on and, doggone it, but those good ol' country boys sure can swing.

Chompin' at the bit, a Self original, opens with a horse's whinny that Trigger would have been proud of and Self blows fluba with a tone that surely he himself is proud of. Wabashing melds Wabash Cannonball and Orange Blossom Special. Joe LaBarbera, the same Joe LaBarbera who recorded extensively with Bill Evans, drives these two train songs along as if he were Casey Jones.

Jolene and Wichita Line Man lead to Rocky Top which is actually Cole Porter's You're the Top - ain't nuttin' sacred out in the mid west? Willie Nelson's Crazy is a quite delicious duo twixt Self and Chiodini. They've been musical pardners for many years which stands them in good stead here.

The Devil Went Down to Georgia is mashed up with Sweet Georgia Brown and has some countrified fiddling, as well as solos by tuba, tenor and trumpet.

Your Cheatin' Heart as a bossa, Folsom Prison Blues with Self's tuba playing the part of Johnny Cash as well as that of Tennessee Ernie Ford in Sixteen Tons, before riding off into the sunset with I Can't Stop Loving You and another horse's whinny or is it some breed of prairie dog?

An enjoyable romp that is jazzier than you might expect. ---Lance

Jim Self (tubas, fluba); Kye Palmer (trumpet, flugel); Bill Booth (trombone, euphonium); Phil Feather (alto/tenor sax, flute); Steve Marsh (tenor sax, clarinet); Chris Woods (country fiddle); Doug Livingston (pedal steel guitar); John Chiodini (electric/acoustic guitars); Steve Fister (electric/Dobro/slide guitars); Bill Cunliffe (piano); Mike Valerio, Ken Wild (basses); Joe LaBarbera (drums); Brian Kilgore (perc.); Kim Scharnberg (arrangements)