Well Spoken

Label: Dag-Nabit
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD

UPC: 630464900129
EAN: 0630464900129
ASIN: B00076MSZC

Customer Reviews:

Jazz veterans, master musicians that really swing.......2006-11-27

Washington, D.C.-based Swing Speak is comprised of veterans of various musical incarnations of groups formed around Danny Gatton, who is, by many counts at least, one of the world's greatest guitar players and perhaps the world's best in the areas of jazz, rock, and country combined.

Bassist Steve Wolf appeared with Danny on the legendary Redneck Jazz Explosion concert at Blues Alley, New Year's Eve 1978; drummer Barry Hart appears on the Untouchable CD, which contains some of Danny's last and best work and perhaps some of the purest jazz work. Saxophonist Bruce Swaim also played and recorded with Gatton. As would be expected, the memebers of Swing Speak are veteran, master musicians in their own right.

The music on this CD is a pure pleasure to listen to. As the CD liner notes say, all the songs are first or second takes. That is stunning when you listen to these tracks; they sound easily as experienced and slick as anything coming out of a modern L.A. or New York studio, but the music is not at all empty, as a good percentage of recent jazz releases sound to me; it has a lot of soul, substance, musicality, and passion.

The biography section of Swing Speak's web site lists the following band achievments:

"Steve Wolf, bassist, has been a fixture on the Washington music scene since the late 60s. During that time he has performed throughout the United States and Europe with such D.C. area notables as Danny Gatton, Tom Principato, The Nighthawks, Cathy Ponton-King, Catfish Hodge, Deanna Bogart, Bob Margolin, Linwood Taylor, Ron Holloway, Big Joe Maher, Jessie Yawn, and a diverse group of national artists ranging from Chuck Berry, The Coasters and Bo Diddly to Doctor John, Brian Auger and sax man Clarence Clemmons. His well respected work in the blues arena has led him to back Chicago blues legends Sunnyland Slim, Pinetop Perkins, Charlie Musselwhite, Guitar Junior, and many others. Steve has also garnered an impressive list of recording credits as both a performer and producer."

"Bruce Swaim, saxophonist, has since moving to the D.C. area from North Carolina in 1981, solidly established himself as one the "first call" elite on his instrument. He is a regular in area recording studios and recently appeared on the Black Entertainment Network's Jazz Central program with drummer Carl Allen. His impressive resume also includes performances with: Tom Principato, Junior Cline, Danny Gatton, Cathy Ponton-King, Hot Jazz, The Spinners, Millie Jackson, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Washington jazz legend, Keeter Betts."

As I understand it, one of drummer Barry Hart's first major gigs was the New York World's Fair in 1964; there he saw Buddy Rich play live, and he subsequently saw Buddy perform hundreds if not over 1,000 times. Barry is gifted with rarely-matched, incredible precision and technique on the drums, which is augmented by his long and varied experience as a full-time musician ; it really shows in his drumming which is not only technically perfect, but very musical and soulful at the same time. The Swing Speak web site lists the following performers Barry has worked with in addition to Danny Gatton: The Tommy Dorsey Band, The Ink Spots, Bob Hope, Cab Calloway, O. C. Smith, Lou Rawls, The Drifters and Little Anthony and The Imperials.

This CD reflects the music of one of the Washington, D.C. area's finest working jazz ensembles, with decades of experience (individually, let alone collectively) under their belts.

This is world-class jazz, and these first and second takes are second to none in my book.

TRACK LIST.......2004-12-17

Swing Speak / Well Spoken
Track Title
1. Confused Blues
2. Hit That Jive, Jack
3. I Got It Bad
4. Hush Little Baby
5. Alice In Wonderland
6. Up From The Skies
7. Get Happy
8. You Bring Out The Boogie In Me
9. Lotus Blossom

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Right or Wrong ~ Stealers Wheel

Neighborhood Creepas ~ Latin Bomb Squad

Unusual Heat ~ Foreigner

Beet ~ Eleventh Dream Day

Me & You & A Dog Named Boo & Other Hits ~ Lobo

Cravinkel (Rare)

Jalopy Go Far

Metaepitome ~ OVERHEAD

Erotica Morricone: So Sweet So Sensual

Body & Soul NYC, Vol. 4 ~ Various Artists