Dukes of Dixieland, New Orleans Voodoo (Leisure Music Group)

With its release year printed as 2015 on the CD’s slipcase packing, Dukes of Dixieland’s voodoo-themed three- song EP is a bit of an oddity. But according to John Shoup, the Dukes’ band manager of 45 years, this project kept getting bumped by other priorities until now. If you’re expecting sharp horns, wailing clarinet, dazzling piano playing, and tight drumming, you’ll find that here in an abbreviated form. But moreover, these live cuts show how good the Dukes are as entertainers. Vocalist/pianist Joe Kennedy milks “Marie Laveau” for all it’s worth. On “I Put a Spell on You,” he affects a demonic Louis Armstrong voice. “Voodoo Woman” is the most jovial as Kennedy sings between swinging horn lines and Kevin Clark’s blistering trumpet solo. With pop-flavored selections beyond the cannon of its Dixieland namesake, it’s inherently obvious this is no longer your father’s Dukes of Dixieland.