PLATINUM SWING
BIG BAND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION - DIRECTOR AND ARRANGER : RUDY VAN HORNE
DISTRIBUTED BY HITCHCOCK MEDIA
If you have ever wondered what happened to the guys that featured in the big bands of the 'Swing Era', look no further, many of them are here. I guess that the session lasted one day and was possibly recorded in sequence. I can imagine the chops were not quite right, fingers no so supple. Having said that once they disposed of the opening track, it seem to me the quality and confidence went skyward. My favourite music mantra is " if you do it right you do it longer".
In conversation with Bob Efford once we discussed a UK album featuring a new big band playing the music of Geraldo, music performed in the forties and fifties. He said "great band but every solo was wrong, out of context". Here, every solo is right, so many younger musicians forget this particular discipline. No solos are credited which is a pity, these guys are really roaring, I'd like to know the 'perps'.
Best I can do is list the personnel:-
George Kenny; Larry Covelli; John Setar, Ethmer Roten, Ira Schulman, Larry Dougherty, Dave Pell, Lon Norman, Ron Smith, Jim Amlotte, Barney Liddell, Fred Koyen, Jack Feierman, Howard Katz, Johnny Vana, Al Vescovo, George Valle and Bill Casilli.
I was particularly endeared to the two vocalists Nancy Osborne and Michael Dees. Great intonation, lots of character in their voices, traditional big band singers of the highest order.
A great CD, check it out nostalgia freaks.