Customer Reviews

Hot Sweet & Blue

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Tom Sanders, a jazz record producer in Nashville,TN, recently sent me a very enthusiastic e-mail about the Independence Hall Jazz Band's debut CD "Hot Sweet & Blue":

"Yesterday I received a copy of this CD from a friend. I thought it was wonderful. I was especially impressed with the tempos. This could be a first line festival band, if that's what they want to do. Wonderful musicians, too. Doug Finke is a fabulous trombone. We could hear lots more from this band."

"Hot Sweet & Blue" is the first recording by the Independence Hall Jazz Band, a seven-piece traditional jazz ensemble based in the Philadelphia area.

The 16 tracks are a thoughtfully chosen mix of Dixieland and traditional standards, some lesser-known tunes favored by jazz musicians, plus two original tunes and a well-known classical piece with a fun twist. A New Orleans style instrumentation -- three horns up front with banjo and tuba anchoring the rhythm section -- is the foundation. These musicians (several of them celebrated as individual players for years)handle it all comfortably and commandingly.

The CD kicks off with a swinging and very robust "Sweet Georgia Brown", a familiar jazz standard that lends itself well to hot playing. The same goes for Dixieland staples "At the Jazz Band Ball" and "Riverboat Shuffle". The musicians are clearly very stimulated by the material and at ease with each other. There is no sign of boredom or wandering minds. The time feel is right on the money throughout.

Halfway through the disc, a humorous and highly skilled banjo/tuba interpretation of Beethoven's Fifth sneaks up us. One might think of it as a sort of aural "no-brainer", meant only to amaze, delight and reenergize for what follows. "Agnes the Magician", a break-oriented original tune by leader Doug Finke and arranged by pianist Tom Roberts, is christened with a personality, and "Mona Lisa" takes on an unusually extroverted second one.

"Down in Honky Tonky Town" is the last track and fits nicely there. Rob Garcia sounds subtlely determined with his bass drum, building up and leading out as though the band is marching in one of New Orleans' famous brass band parades.

Of added interest are liners by noted jazz drummer and writer Hal Smith. Smith gives the background on Finke and his inspiring, inevitable reemergence into the music business after a long absence.

This CD is not to be overlooked by any fan of classic jazz and top quality musicianship.

This is one of the best traditional jazz CDs of 1999. It is a wonderful mix of jazz standards and pop tunes, along with an original or two, that should be in everyone's collection of jazz CDs. The band members are all top-notch jazz musicians, and, although the band is a relatively new one, they play with cohesion and verve.

This has got to be the Traditional and Dixieland "CD of the year"! From the time I listened to the first track, Sweet Georgia Brown, I was totally blown away. This collection of sweet & sassy tunes will surely become a classic. My recommendation: run, don't walk, to your nearest music store!