Maria Muldaur with Tuba Skinny: “Let’s Get Happy Together” (2021) CD Review

Over the course of her career, singer Maria Muldaur has explored many different musical realms, including folk, blues, jazz, country and rock. In the late 1970s, Maria Muldaur became a member of the Jerry Garcia Band, singing on the 1978 LP Cats Under The Stars, and then recently became involved in the Garcia Project, revisiting the spirit of the Garcia Band from that time. She even co-produced an album with the Garcia Project titled Spirit, which was released late last year. Now Maria Muldaur takes us in a different, yet equally exciting direction, down to New Orleans, with her new album, Let’s Get Happy Together, a title that certainly holds some appeal itself as we try to emerge from our period of isolation. The band backing her on this release is Tuba Skinny, and in the disc’s liner notes, Maria explains how she first heard them and how this project came about. The music here is all covers, totally delicious jazz and blues numbers from decades past, many of them lesser known gems, all of them sounding completely fresh.

And if the goal of this album, as suggested by its title, is to make us happy, that mission is accomplished with the very first track, “I Like You Best Of All,” a delightful jazz tune. This band, as you might guess, includes tuba, an instrument that somehow always manages to spread a good deal of joy, and this track even includes a brief lead. The band gets a chance to strut its stuff between verses. And Maria Muldaur, who seems quite a home in whatever musical realm she moves into, shines warmly here. This song was recorded by The Goofus Five in the 1920s. It’s followed by the album’s title track, “Let’s Get Happy Together,” written by Lil Hardin Armstrong. This is a perfect song for these strange times. It’s about ditching our troubles and doing our best to enjoy ourselves. The band sets the tone for Maria Muldaur’s entrance, and there is a tremendous amount of cheer all around, as she sings “You lost your baby, and I lost mine/I got a nickel and you got a dime/We’ll drown our troubles in wine/And we’ll get happy together.”

“Be Your Natural Self” has an easygoing vibe, and its message is a good one. The disc contains some interesting notes about the first vocalist who presented this song, Frankie “Half-Pint” Jaxon, who was popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and sometimes worked as a female impersonator, taking on the female roles in certain songs, before going to work at the Pentagon in the 1940s. That is something of a career change, eh? “Be Your Natural Self” is followed by “Delta Bound,” which is insanely cool and sexy right from the start, with the band establishing a delicious style and groove before Maria comes in on vocals. And she gives such a great performance here, which is what makes this track one of my personal favorites. “I’m tired of roaming/That’s why I’m homing/I’m Delta bound.” Then Maria Muldaur and Tuba Skinny give us “Swing You Sinners.” This song’s title is a command we are all happy and eager to obey, just as long as she is talking about dancing and not hanging. (Have you seen that 1930 animated short film Swing You Sinners?) “Swing when things trouble you/Swing and you can’t be blue/It’s good for you.” This one feels like it ends prematurely. I want more.

“He Ain’t Got Rhythm” is a playful, humorous song written by Irving Berlin, presented with a wonderfully light vibe. How can you keep from loving the world described here, in which rhythm is of greater importance than just about anything else? “He attracted some attention/When he found the fourth dimension/But he ain’t got rhythm/So no one’s with him/He’s the loneliest man in town.” I love Maria Muldaur’s vocal approach. She completely inhabits this song, and seems to be having a great time with it, helping to make it another of the disc’s highlights. That’s followed by yet another highlight, “Got The South In My Soul,” a slow, totally delicious gem that begins with Maria singing “Oh lord, oh lord” and is about wishing to be home in the Delta. “I want to say goodbye to darkness and spend all my days in the sun.” At a certain point, the track picks up in pace and joy, as she seems to reach that place where she longs to be. Then it ends as it began, with her singing, “Oh lord, oh lord.” So good!

“I Go For That” is another playful tune, this one about the sort of guy she goes for. Hey, any song that mentions a ukulele and also contains a Shakespeare reference is okay in my book. Plus, there is a percussion section like tap-dancing. What more could you want? It’s followed by “Patience And Fortitude,” a cheerful, positive tune. “Just keep that mellow mood, and things will come your way.” And listen to her delivery of “But now I see that’s a big mistake.” Then we get “Some Sweet Day.” What is it about these slower numbers that makes them so appealing? Whatever it is, this is another of my favorites. There is something kind of sexy about it. “When the cold winds do blow/With its ice and its snow/Your poor heart, it will yearn/Honey babe, for my return.” This is another that was originally recorded by Frankie “Half-Pint” Jaxon. In “Big City Blues” Maria Muldaur sings “No one smiles to help me chase these big city blues.” All of us who live in a big city have experienced this. Being lonely and down among so many people can be worse than being truly alone in some remote spot. But then again, the opportunity is there for someone to come along and give us that smile, that friendly nod or wave. “Won’t someone please talk to me/Don’t refuse, hear my plea/And help me lose these big city blues.” That’s followed by another excellent bit of blues, “Road Of Stone,” this one also about being alone, but this time while traveling. Maria totally sells it. And that’s how this wonderful album comes to a close. I’m looking forward to hearing what Maria Muldaur decides to do next.

CD Track List

1. I Like You Best Of All
2. Let’s Get Happy Together
3. Be Your Natural Self
4. Delta Bound
5. Swing You Sinners
6. He Ain’t Got Rhythm
7. Got The South In My Soul
8. I Go For That
9. Patience And Fortitude
10. Some Sweet Day
11. Big City Blues
12. Road Of Stone

Let’s Get Happy Together was released on May 7, 2021 on Stony Plain Records. It’s going to be interesting later on looking back at albums released during this crazy time. In the liner notes booklet, there is a photo of the entire band, all wearing masks.