The really important news is that the New Orleans honking, stonking, striding ensemble is set to do a full tour next year (only Ireland saw them last month for some reason), when we must hope their horn-fuelled swagger will find its way to Scotland, because, sans doubt, live will be the way to experience this music.

Of course there are other bands that have strode this alley, but the Hot 8 are currently the hottest, thanks to surfing a post-Katrina wave (if that isn't too tasteless a metaphor) in Spike Lee's documentary film about the US Government's lackadaisical response to the hurricane and David Simon's HBO drama series Treme.

Their particular schtick is picking contemporary classics to give that big brash brass jazz funk treatment; their debut disc included a much-played version of Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing.

The standout covers here are Basement Jaxx's Bingo Bango and, rather more obviously, the Specials' Ghost Town.

But while the latter predictably catches the ear, their own tunes, and especially those of trumpeter Raymond Williams, are just as fine for their tailor-made style.