Don’t let the name deter you – the St. Pete-based sextet may have taken their handle from notorious “chicken chaser” Chico Marx, but The Chicken Chasers are inspired by his high-spirited piano playing, not by his womanizing ways.
And there’s no doubt Marx would be pleased by his influence on Beggars Can’t Be Schmoozers, a debut LP of bewitching, vibrant numbers delivered in the band’s self-styled “schving” brand of swing and Klezmer, and infused with elements of nightclub blues, vintage rock, zesty tango, and gypsy jazz.
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2010.