John Sheridan And His Dream Band - Swing is Still the King

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:35
Size: 157,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Always
(5:53)  2. Ballad in Blue
(6:36)  3. You Turned the Tables on Me
(4:08)  4. You're a Heavenly Thing
(3:27)  5. Did You Mean It?
(4:11)  6. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:28)  7. Keep Me in Mind
(4:27)  8. Behave Yourself
(4:24)  9. Shirley Steps Out
(5:05) 10. Don't Be That Way
(4:19) 11. Take Another Guess
(3:33) 12. I Had to Do It
(5:09) 13. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
(5:00) 14. Gotta Be This or That
(3:12) 15. Goodnight, My Love

Pianist John Sheridan has worked hard to keep the spirit of swing alive, both in other bands and as a leader. On Swing Is Still the King, he furthers his effort with the support of singer Rebecca Kilgore and an ensemble of nine other players, including guitarist Eddie Erickson, cornetist Randy Reinhart, and saxophonist Dan Block. Sheridan has named this combo His Dream Band, and the players are given a chance to strut their stuff on the first three instrumentals, including a nice take of Irving Berlin's "Always" and a six-and-half-minute version of "You Turned the Tables on Me." Although the ensemble is fairly large, the arrangements are spare and flexible.

Kilgore joins the band on the fourth cut, "You're a Heavenly Thing," and her vocals play a large role on Swing Is Still the King, fronting the band on ten of the 15 tracks. Kilgore has good tone and works well within the classic medium of swing, and it's nice that she has chosen songs that are not overly familiar. She delivers a fine version of Mel Powell's "Shirley Steps Out," and is equally at home with ballads and uptempo numbers. With sympathetic vocals, a solid band, and good songs, Sheridan will easily convince listeners that Swing Is Still the King. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford,Jr.  http://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-is-still-the-king-mw0000576897

Personnel: John Sheridan (vocals, piano); Rebecca Kilgore (vocals); Eddie Erickson (guitar); Daniel Block (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Ron Hockett (clarinet); Randy Reinhart (cornet); Dan Barrett , Russ Phillips (trombone); Jake Hanna (drums).

Swing is Still the King

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Ron Hockett - Finally Ron

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 168.6 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[4:24] 2. Nuages
[4:38] 3. Hindustan
[5:57] 4. My Ideal
[4:13] 5. Everybody Loves My Baby
[5:06] 6. Blues For Jack
[4:32] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[4:23] 8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:44] 9. Memories Of You
[4:37] 10. If Dreams Come True
[5:00] 11. Gone With The Wind
[5:33] 12. Reverie
[5:54] 13. Beale Street Blues
[5:32] 14. Undecided
[5:17] 15. Strange Blues

Clarinetist Ron Hockett's debut recording as a leader comes later in life at age 60, after hanging out in the Chicago scene studying with Benny Bailey, going to Princeton University, returning to Chi-Town, working in the Washington, D.C. jazz scene and the U.S. Marine Jazz Band for three decades, and enjoying considerable time with the trad band of Jim Cullum. The clear influence of Benny Goodman's smooth and sweet swing sound is noticeable from the start, but you can hear the influence of his hero Peanuts Hucko, Bob Wilber, and even Stan Getz in the lyrical quality Hockett exudes. He's put together an excellent backup band, with the brilliant guitarist James Chirillo and pianist John Sheridan as his main foils. Bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Jake Hanna are veterans who know all too well the values of the swing rhythm and the tunes that brought it to prominence. You'd be hard pressed to find a better group anywhere that can play standards as well, or support Hockett's sleek and mellow style the way they do. His original "Blues for Jack," the immortal "Beale Street Blues," and Wingy Manone's "Strange Blues" are more about feeling than technical skills, while "Gone with the Wind," "If Dreams Come True," and the stop-start "Too Close for Comfort" display and define the flawless and consistent fluid dynamics the band employs. At their hottest, the group is playful and utterly swinging on the no-frills take of "Hindustan," the slightly extrapolated "Just One of Those Things," and the cute near bopper "Undecided." Chirillo is a marvelous man to have in the starting five, as his witty, clean, and charming guitar riffs fit perfectly with Hockett and Sheridan during "Undecided." He plays off the two, trading phrases for "Nuages," or jumps in rhythmic cohesion à la Freddie Green for "Reverie," the Bob Wilber tune where Hockett switches to soprano sax. Another piece, "My Ideal," has Hockett's soprano in a bossa nova groove, a twist for this type of group, and reflective of the influence of Getz. Admittedly this is a jam session with not much writing or arranging involved, but a document of a thoroughly professional band having fun in support of an old friend finally given an opportunity to show his wares. If you like the clarinet work of other lesser knowns like Kim Cusak, Chuck Hedges, or the truly great Kenny Davern, you'll easily enjoy this long overdue effort from a wonderful lifetime sideman finally making the first team. ~Michael G. Nastos

Finally Ron

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