For those unaware, Virginia and The Slims started in Summer of 2013 with Virginia DeMoss on vocals, Perry Lavin on drums, James Kamp on tenor sax, Harry Schaefer on bass, Ginger Drake on alto sax and Sean Anderson, on guitar.

Virginia’s husband came up with the name and that was that, so the story goes. The idea was to play blues, but to play songs people would respond to, especially swing or jump blues as no one else locally to them was focusing on that.

Eventually Virginia left to start a family, Ginger left for Nashville, and Perry and Harry left to pursue their first love, Indian classical music.

James and Sean reorganized with Sid Heilbraun, a rock solid bassist, and Brian Gant, a Nashville pro on drums and Rebecca O’Quinn came on board as their new singer.

After about a year, she also left and their current vocalist, Joanna Best was brought into the musical mix. Bringing with her the ability to vocally embrace old time blues like no one’s business, the band then added long term friend (and killer harmonica player) Bill Mattocks as well as saxophonist Vinny Corda and Marco Noto on drums.

The band, which now has added Howie Neal on Guitar, John Davis on Bass, and John Barrett on drums, has come together and created a brand new recording entitled Busman’s Holiday (out now via CD Baby).

1. Let It Go
2. Take Me To Mardi Gras
3. Trace
4. Sugar Baby
5. Push On Through
6. Tha Way I Walk
7. When Will I Find Him
8. I’ll Be Back Again
9. Your Money’s No Good
10. Shine

This beautifully crafted way low, finger-snapping coolness of Let It Go and the shimmering Take Me To The Mardi Gras and backs those up seamlessly with the sultry sax-adorned Trace, the upbeat and frisky Sugar Baby and then comes one of my own personal favorites, the dulcet, harmonica yearn of Push On Through.

Up next is the gently fervent ambiance of Tha Way I Walk and the piano-driven Gospel-imbibed When Will I Find Him? and follow those up with the smooth I’ll Be Back Again, the album rounding out on the upbeat and gently rambunctious Your Money’s No Good, closing on the glowingly optimistic Shine.

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