Ridin' With Bob

Since receiving a rare four-star review for their 'Toasted' album in Downbeat USA magazine in 2005, HCS has moved away from the 30s and 40s jazz / blues standards to concentrate on their extensive repertoire of quirky, humourous and satirical original songs (which Downbeat has praised).

With the exception of Fats Waller's "Your Feet's Too Big", the songs on 'Ridin With Bob' are all original. Andrew London's original songs tend to draw from American country and blues influences stylistically but the lyrical content sets them firmly in urban New Zealand. These songs are about weekend lifestylers in their SUV's, the corporate homogenisation of small-town NZ, politicians, Ipod technology and American cultural imperialism. Scattered among these are frivolous rock'n'roll songs written with no more noble a purpose than to get your feet tapping.

Bass and piano player. Terry Crayford contributes three instrumental numbers "Nigel", "Flip Flop" and "Dr Moore's Hospital" which are all reminiscent of the continental Grappelli/ Reinhardt style. Terry's most celebrated son, Jonathan Crayford plays piano on the first two while Crayford Snr supplies both bass and piano on "Dr Moore's Hospital".