They’re Calling Their Own Tune

Don’t even think about calling Little Charlie & the Nightcats swing revivalists. For the uninitiated, it’s been 25 years since the band’s founding members--guitarist Little Charlie Baty and vocalist, harmonica player and songwriter Rick Estrin--first merged jump and western swing with Chicago blues, rockabilly and a dash of bebop.

But if you figured the ‘Cats should at least cash in on the current swing revival, well, as the title of their latest album, “Shadow of the Blues,” suggests, the band just isn’t in that kind of mood.

Instead, the Sacramento-based quartet, which plays tonight in Long Beach, has made the most straight-ahead blues album of its long career.

“A couple of years ago, [Alligator Records President] Bruce Iglauer approached us about doing a record with one central theme, and the idea arose to make a ‘serious’ blues recording,” Baty said from his home in Davis.

“This time out, we decided to return to the style we started out playing--the Chicago blues.”

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Little Charlie & the Nightcats, who play Friday at the Blue Cafe in Long Beach, pack a mighty explosive punch in just about any style the boys choose. With Estrin’s wailing harp, Baty’s meaty guitar chops and the rollicking rhythm section of bassist Ronnie James Weber and drummer June Core, the foursome knows how to cut it loose.

They also know when to hold something back. The smoldering “Walkin’ in the Shadow of the Blues”--the quasi title track from the group’s eighth Alligator release--shows how Baty has learned to communicate more by playing less.

“It seems the longer you play, people tend to talk about developing a more mature style,” said the guitarist, who graduated with a degree in mathematics from UC Berkeley in 1975. “To me, that means realizing that sometimes you can get across a better message with fewer notes. Listening to standards and jazz from the ‘30s and ‘40s has taught me a lot about concentrating more on the song and its melody . . . and less on the scales.”

Typifying that approach are tracks ranging from the humor-laden “Never Trust a Woman” and “New Old Lady” to “You Got Your Hooks in Me,” a showcase for the economical yet emotive soloing of Baty. “I Don’t Drink Much” is a splendid shuffle in which Baty pays a debt to jazz-tinged blues guitarist Robert Jr. Lockwood.

Baty’s most joyous moment came in 1979, when he got to jam alongside the legendary Muddy Waters and his band, who headlined a gig at the Davis Community Center.

“Boy, was I a nervous wreck,” he said. “I think we played ‘Blow Wind Blow’ or ‘Got My Mojo Workin’.’ . . . All I know for sure is that it was some kind of shuffle in G. I was just shakin’ like crazy. . . .

“Right in the middle of one of the songs, [Waters] turned to face me and then complimented me on my guitar playing. I was blown away. That kind of acceptance from the old-school players . . . I mean, that’s what makes you authentic.”

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Several well-known blues artists recently have raised the profile of Little Charlie & the Nightcats. In 1995, three of the band’s songs--written by Estrin--found their way onto Grammy-nominated albums: “Don’t Put Your Hands on Me” (from Koko Taylor’s “Force of Nature”), “I’m Just Lucky That Way” (from Robert Cray’s “Shame + Sin”) and “Homely Girl” (from John Hammond’s “Trouble No More,” which also features the ‘Cats as his backing band).

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Hammond turned to Little Charlie & the Nightcats to support him on last year’s excellent “Long as I Have You,” another Grammy-nominated LP (Best Traditional Blues).

“John is such a respected player and truly just a great guy,” Baty said. “He’ll call me out of the blue just to say hello, and we exchange Christmas cards every year now.”

Led by the dapper, energetic, wisecracking Estrin, Little Charlie & the Nightcats seek to set themselves apart with memorable chops and a high-spirited show.

“The music is important, of course, but we don’t want to be just another band,” Baty said. “We play mostly originals and try to keep the crowd guessing by not doing the same exact show every night.”

Looking unusual helps too.

“I don’t know how many wild suits Rick has, but we once played in Hong Kong just because he wanted to buy some threads over there.” Baty said. “Now what does that tell you?”

* Little Charlie & the Nightcats play tonight at the Blue Cafe, 210 Promenade N., Long Beach. 9:30 p.m. 21 and older. $10 (562) 983-7111.