Multiple Artists
House of Blues Swings
(Platinum/House of Blues)
As the neo-swing trend passes, fly-by-night groups and Johnny wanna-bes are getting sifted and winnowed from the CD racks and the ballrooms of America. This compilation of groups swept up in this vortex has selections that range from trite to tight, so not all these groups will reap another harvest. The kernals that remain, however, prove that once the spectator shoes hit the markdowns, there will still be plenty of dancing action. Standout tunes include Indigo Swing's "Average Guy," with Johnny Boyd's distinct and distinguished vocals; Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys' "Feelin' Kinda Lucky," somewhat misplaced among the more horn-voiced bands on the disc, and the Savoir-Faire Pistol Pocket Dance Band's version of "5 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days"-- this 17-piece group is barely out of high school, yet has excellent instrumentation and dynamic dual female vocals, echoing the Delicates, a late '50s group. In fact, many of the selections on this disc come from groups with strong female vocalists -- unusual in the Midwest, where most groups keep it an ingrained old boys club. It's no surprise, then, that the anchor of this disc is Miss Lavay Smith, whose custard-creamy vocals on the Irving Berlin standard "Blue Skies" resonate so strongly, I'm whistling the tune days later. Also welcome are band websites and phone contacts. Overall, this disc is a good primer to help the new swing folks (yes, they're still coming out) choose a favorite act or two.
Dave Leucinger