Here's a Tauranga musical trivia question: which band or singer has released the most albums?

There are, in my admittedly anecdotal calculations, three obvious contenders. Of the bands, Kokomo probably edge out Brilleaux through the sheer fact that they've been around longer, though Brilleaux's ever-rising number of live albums means they're catching fast. Kokomo are just about in double figures, more if you add in albums by the individual members.

Then there's Marion Arts, who started recording well before either of those bands and, what with current outfit Bonjour Swing and forays into classical-style instrumentals, must have a dozen titles or so to her name.

But, I suspect topping the list would be someone who has never even made claims to being a professional musician, although he is a widely-recognised local visual artist. I speak, of course, of Dave Roy. who for the past several years has been recording and releasing albums on an average of twice a year. I do believe there have been years when he's made three.

They're easy to spot. They always come in a slim-line case, each has inventive Dave-created cover art, and each is released under a different name. Just looking at a few I found this morning there's Under the Influence by Dave Roy & The Usual Suspects, Not So... by Dave Roy & The Inflatable Dolls, Dog Only Knows by Harry Krishna & The Rattlesnakes, and the latest which is reviewed below. There are many more...

What the albums also share is the remarkable range of talent that Dave charms onto them. That includes guitarists Mike Kirk, Derrin Richards, Trevor Braunias, Derek Jacombs, Harry Prastiti and Dave Berry. But there's also Marion Arts, Robbie Laven (mandolin, fiddle, sometimes sax), Oscar Laven (sax, bassoon), bass players Nigel Masters and Dave Porter, John Michaelz, four-piece Ukulele group the Kokoladies, Grant Bullot's harp, Sonia Bullot's trumpet, and Ian Gilpin usually on drums. And that's just on the latest four. It's quite astounding really...

Having now listened to so much of Dave's music I turn this week's reviewing duties over to a fresh set of ears. And, by the way, Dave is currently at The Boatshed Studio about to finish the next one.