Man Overboard Quintet - All Hands on Deck (2013)

Man Overboard’s debut album is a collection of old jazz tunes including numbers by Fats Waller, Al Jolson and Hoagy Carmichael - all played in Man Overboard’s infectious, melodic style. Expect to be delighted by “on the sunny side of the street’, ‘All of Me’ and ‘How High the Moon’ to name but a few favourite tunes.

Thomas Gould is a classical violinist described as “staggeringly virtuosic” by The Guardian. He also is a dab hand at jazz, and his playing meets its match in the lyrical clarinet playing of Ewan Bleach, who has been making his mark on the music scenes of London and New Orleans.

Thomas and Ewan work the tunes beautifully together, sometimes harmonising, sometimes challenging each other. At other times, they simply provide the setting for Louisa Jones’ distinctively husky but sweet and atmospheric voice.

Underpinning the sound are Dave O’Brien — one of the brightest young musicians on the London swing scene — on the double bass and Jean-Marie Fagon, a good old-fashioned, no-nonsense rhythm guitarist from France.