Edmonton based the Rooster Davis group warmed up a chilly night for a handful of people at the Slice, Dec. 18. A trombone is a happy sounding 
instrument. Couple that with a kazoo and some hot New Orleans style boogie woogie piano, and it is sure to crack that sour puss.
Especially when the trombonist is so good.
It is to be expected as trombonist Brad Shigeta used to play with the Duke Ellington orchestra.
Pianist/ vocalist Rooster Davis aka Dave Aide was no slouch, blazing on the ivories and performing like a one man band as if each hand had a mind of its own.
They were well int their first set by the time I arrived as he was in the midst of a battle with a rollicking old Professor Longhair number while about a half dozen people watched from the back of the room and applauding genially after each solo.
Drummer Chris Budnarchuk looked implacable as he kept up with that.
Ann Vriend looked blissed out as she danced and wiggled in place, hitting her tambourine as Shigeta blew one of many gorgeous trombone solos. They followed that up with Vriend singing a hot version of blues classic St James Infirmary while Aide harmonized with her and laid down hot piano licks.
Everybody got to solo and the audience clapped appreciatively after each one. Vriend also gave the audience a taste of her brand new CD, taking a seat behind Aide’s piano.
She sang a dark song in a distinctive upper register warble and while it wasn’t as crazy as Aide, she held her own on the keyboards.
Budnarchuk sang a song from behind his drum kit after that.
Then Vriend tried to lead the audience in a singalong with catchy Mardi Gras classic ‘ Jock-a-Mo (Iko Iko.)’ She was featured some more on the piano in the next set. That set included more hot solos and heaps of toe tapping piano.
His cover of Dr. John’s ‘Such a Night’ was a highlight as Vriend and Sigeta traded kazoo and trombone solos during it.
Vriend sang after that in her appealing bluesy chirp. The crowd has expanded to 20 by that point.
