Gotta Follow the Line

Tuba Skinny is touring again, and in this interview Robin Rapuzzi talks about her love of music and what drives the group.
Jupiter Index: Who would you cite as your musical influences? In particular, what other guitarists do you enjoy listening to and how have they shaped your music?
Robin Rapuzzi: Hi, happy to do this interview. I’m the washboard/drummer in Tuba Skinny, but I use violin and mandolin to write original songs in the group. My influences range pretty far. First off, Baby Dodds, the original king of jazz drumming has influenced me a lot. His joy and simple rhythms have taught me a lot. As for songwriting; Italian Ballo Liscio music, May Aufderhide the ragtime pianist, Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Clarence Williams the music publisher/composer inspire my ideas. Gottschalk wrote souvenirs and that’s what I hope to accomplish in Tuba Skinny.
JI: Tell us what process do you use to create or write new material?
RR: While practicing my string instruments I’ll come up with an original line and then I’ll follow that line to where it leads- it’s like pulling on a string and something gives, so I gotta follow it. These days I’ll write the melody and basic chords, bring that to my band at rehearsal and they edit it. We arrange together and that could mean adding or subtracting a part sometimes, but the original melody still cascade I usually decide the final dynamics of the piece.
JI: How did the name of the band Tuba Skinny come about?
RR: Our tuba player was nicknamed that by neighbors and local vendors in the French Quarter. When we’d bike to Royal st tony busking people would yell out, “Hey, it’s Tuba Skinny!” It was in reference to the great Tuba Fats who used to also busk in Jackson Square and around the French Quarter.
JI: What is the significance of the title of your album, Hot Town?
RR: New Orleans is a very Hot Town to live in, so the cover of the album is a drawing of my house. On that record we play a song by Fess Williams also called Hot Town.

RR: If you didn’t know this already, the majority of the music we play is between 50-100 years old. We do play original music as well, such as Sweet Olive. The cat who lives under my house is named Olive, and in my neighborhood the sweet smell of the sweet olive trees will drive a person wild with passion. The song is an ode to my neighborhood really, but onstage I often dedicate it to my cat. Security is a song by Tarheel Slim and Little Anne.
JI: What have you been listening to recently? Are there any other lesser-known, more obscure musicians that you recommend to people who like your music?
RR: I also run an Italian string trio called Robin Rapuzzi’s Glo Worm Trio, so I mostly listen to Ballo Liscio and Sala Da Barba music of northern and Southern Italy. Ha ha I’m a nerd for that stuff. But for Tuba Skinny fans I’d recommend Wynonie Harris, Bobby Leecan, May Aufderhide, Gottschalk, Giovanni Giovialle, Washboard Sam, Blindboy Fuller and Lonny Johnson.
JI: Would you like to say anything more about Tuba Skinny’s music or to your fans?
RR: Check out our other projects… Max and the Martians, JJ and the Trash Dogs, Robin Rapuzzi’s Glo Worm Trio, James Mcclaskey and The Rhythm Band, The Lonesome Doves.

by G.M. Burns