by Thom Owens
The Lone Cat Sings and Plays Jazz, Folk Songs, Spirituals and Blues features a selection of old-time blues, ragtime, and string band songs, all performed by the one-man band Jesse Fuller. With his 12-string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals, and six-string bass (which he played with his foot), Fuller created a very unique sound that surprisingly didn't sound particularly jokey -- instead, it sounded like it was part of a tradition. None of his best-known songs are included on Lone Cat, but there is an abundance of strange, wonderful music on the record.