Insect Ball

Lily Wilde | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 20, 1999
• Label: Lil Tom Tom Inc
• ASIN: B00000K4IT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,222 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #30 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz
  • #90 in Music > Blues > Vocal Blues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great jazz and blues big band swing!, February 12, 2004

By 

Claude Avary "West Coast Reader" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Insect Ball (Audio CD)

This CD is one of those sneaky surprises waiting out there in the swing music scene. Striking out from Portland, OR, Lily Wilde has produced a phenomenal album of big band swing, perfect for listening and dancing. Backed by the full Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra, Lily Wilde lays out a series of tracks that capture the swingin' feeling of the big bands of the 1950s, like Billy May and Count Basie. It's jazzy swing with the soul of the blues...in other words, the genuine swing article, not some rock band that just stuck on a few horns and called themselves a swing band. Lily Wilde knows her musical history and knows what she likes, and that means you're guaranteed to like it as well.

Lily Wilde's voice is supremely soulful and powerful, reminding a bit of Ella Fitzgerald and Helen Humes (one of Count Basie's best female singers), but separate enough to have her own identity. She does a great job with such swingin' classics as "Mister Five by Five," "Work Baby Work," and "Oh Babe!" (my personal favorite cut from the album). These all swing smooth and very danceable, and should get a whole room of picky swing dancers jivin' and wailin'. I also enjoy the humorous "Rip Van Winkle." Lily slows it down and gets soulful and torchy on "Since I Fell for You," (the best slow number on the album) and a beautiful version of "Stormy Weather."

The band itself swings hard in a very Basie-like style, sounding like the legendary "Atomic" band from the 50s. This is most noticeable on a stand-out, mid-tempo instrumental, "Go Ahead and Rock." It's an infectious piece.

The only flaw in the album is the one bad track among the bunch, and ironically, it's the title track, "Insect Ball." The band swings fine, but the electronic manipulation of the voices and the silly lyrics cripple it. Unfortunate -- but how often do you come across an album where every track is great?

This still counts as a five-star swing recording for me. Swing fans who haven't heard Lily Wilde need to get their hands on this gem while it is still around. It's guaranteed to get you dancing again after you've worn out all your "Swing Session" albums.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!! You've never heard a debut album like this!, September 29, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insect Ball (Audio CD)

As a DJ & Swing instructor I've never heard a debut album this polished before. Sound is tight, the vocals will send you, and if you've never danced before--you'll be dancing anyway. Tempos are perfect for East Coast Swing & Lindy Hop (from a beginner level to a "let's sweat!" :) -- this is one album I highly recommend, and use frequently in class for teaching.

If you like Bill Elliott, desire their tightness & musicality, but desire a more earthy, jump-blues inspired selections of tunes that really swing (from fast tempos to really seexxy blues numbers), this is it. A big influences for this band is Ella Mae Morse (who Lily sounds similar to).

Check it out, you WON'T be disappointed.

Also, if you ever make it to Portland, OR be sure to catch them here. They are hands down, the best swing band in town.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music, wonderful vocals...put on your dancin shoes, September 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Insect Ball (Audio CD)

I like the title that Lily wanted to call this release, "All The Music You Would Have Heard If Your Parents Were Black." That's right! This is great music that all black artists covered first and all white artists were credited with making hits. Lily Wilde and the greatest musicians in Portland, Oregon play with authenticity all these song gems and even better they give the credit to the original artists. The solos on this release absolutely swing, the arrangements of the material make the whole effort shine and then there is Lily's vocals. Check out Rip Van Winkle! Lily overdubbed in perfect harmony with herself. It is historic music, played and sang with such style that they should be made Oregon's official "Ambassadors of Swing". If I were to choose a particular thing about this release that is outstanding, it would be the determination of Lily Wilde and Tom Royer to make sure this music is heard and appreciated all over again. As they say, "It's all good!"