Album Notes

Through subtle power of suggestion and slight of hand, “Parlor Tricks” has remained a musical lightening rod for over 75 years.

Originally founded by the Kalamata sisters, Ernestine and Bertrude, who deserted the family vaudeville act to pursue their more bawdy musical aspirations, the act floundered until the sisters recruited bassoon virtuoso Boris Matzatoff to arrange their hit recording of “Muffins on Sunday,” featuring Bertie’s now famous flugelhorn solo.

Accompanying sheet music sales set the band on the path that it has followed, with slight personnel changes, until the present day. The current lineup of the band features Melina Selverston on vocals and fluglehorn, Eddie Scher on National steel guitar, David Hartheimer on bass and Doug Epstein on box, clarinet, and all other manner of organized sound. Their recent relocation to Dobbs Ferry, New York brought this reaction from the editors of Catfish Musicology Monograph, “this move will breath new life into a musical act that has survived on great singing, great songs and scintillating banter for longer than anyone cares to remember.”