Customer Reviews

Tennille Sings Big Band

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

All my musician friends back in the 70s made merciless fun of the Captain & Tennille. They were, after all, commercial--and in a fairly unapologetic way. I laughed oblingingly when my friends would sneeringly refer to them as the "Captain and Toenail," but they remained something of a guilty pleasure. "Love Will Keep Us Together" had a nice bounce, and "Shop Around" was a credible reading of a Smokey Robinson classic, replete with a not-too-heavy handed gender switch (girls can shop around too) that was refreshingly liberating (more Cyndi Lauper fun than Helen Reddy earnestness).

Besides "Captain" Daryl Dragon worked with Brian Wilson--so they had some musical credibility going there. And later, we learned that Toni Tennille's dad, Frank, was a former big band singer and that Toni herself had cut her musical teeth on that music. By the time they released the sultry "Do That to Me One More Time" in '79, it was apparent that they were getting something of a bum rap musically.

Well, after Linda Ronstadt made it acceptable for rock singers to cover the standards, it didn't take Toni too long to follow suit. Of course, the question of who really had a reserved berth on that bandwagon wasn't so easily answered. What was clear is that Toni Tennille had found an artistic niche in which she fit in quite comfortably.

This is the third of Toni's solo projects featuring standards and swing numbers. She is completely at ease throughout and appropriately sassy when called upon to be. Admittedly, she does not bring much that is new to these numbers--unlike, say, Nancy LaMott might do--but her honeyed alto is so well suited for numbers like "Old Black Magic," "Making Whoopee," and "Things Are Swinging" that the listener can't help getting in on the fun. And she lays on her Southern charm to great effect with "Pardon My Southern Accent" and "Memhis in June."

I do understand why some of the reviewers below express some disappointment with this release. The album is solid, but it's not great. It's all swing and little substance. A torch song or two, or better yet, an introspective ballad would have added something special to the mix. She's already proven she can do it. And likely she will again. "Toenail" indeed!

Isn't this singer the other half of the duo Captain and Tennille?Sure is. And she can both sing (both croon and belt, mind you) and swing. She has this weary voice that has an attractive husk in it and when she sings songs like "Its Nice To Have A Man Around the House" its like a musical come-on with nothing put-on (pun intended). Her best moments come from things that come naturally like her take of "Pardon My Southern Accent" where her Alabamian accent was used to best advantage, and such words like "y'all," and "Sa-dern" get a Deep South treatment. Lovely. Its great for someone to be idiomatic and still come out musical. She also did a creditable "Life Is Just A Bowl of Cherries" but I hear a Judy Garland echo in it which still works fine considering that its hard to eclipse a song Garland made her own. And her "Almost Like Being in Love" has a mature knowingness in it. Its probably a hard sell to make you buy this woman's album, but in a world where pop stars tackle the standards with no idea what they are singing about, this one's a real keeper.

Toni Tennille is one of the most versatile singers I've ever seen. She goes from the cute 70's kitsch "Muskrat Love" and others into ultra-groovy Big Band/Swing hits like "Makin' Whoopee." I saw her in concert for my 17th birthday and am pleased to say that I was the youngest person there. She gives a dynamite performance regardless of the material. She's a timeless performer!

For those only familiar with Toni Tennille as half of the Captain and Tennille duo (famous for Love Will Keep Us Together), Tennille Sings Big Band will serve as a strong introduction to the power of Tennille's contralto. This is a re-packaging of an earlier album called "Things Are Swingin'" with the Matt Cattingub Big Band. Tennille has recorded four earlier albums of standards, and this one has light, breezy/swingy feel to it. Many of the tracks showcase Toni's Alabama roots, displaying her gentle southern "moonlight and magnolia" laced voice. Great stuff!

This cd is filled with big, brassy numbers. Tennille turns in an average performance on a number of tracks, including "That Old Black Magic", "Things Are Swingin'", "I Wish I Were In Love Again" and "Teach Me Tonight." Tennille and the band do an outstanding job with "Memphis in June", "Hard Hearted Hannah", and "Makin Whoopie". A must for Tennille fans. I hope that on "INCURABLY ROMANTIC", her soon-to-be released cd, Tennille turns in a superior performance.

Love it Love it Love It!!!!

Toni Tennille could have and should have done better. This CD is my least favorite of her four solo CD's. There are good moments like "I Wish I Were In Love Again", Hard Hearted Hannah" but mostly it is a second rate attempt to sale CD's. Ms Tennille's deep throaty voice doesn't lend itself to swing, she needs to stay will Ballads. This CD doen't demonstrate much of her style as her previous 3 CD's did. She is capable of much better.

It is always encouraging to hear pop/rock singers try out the big band genre, and Toni Tennille is certainly not the first; after all, Linda Ronstadt did it with Nelson Riddle. However, Toni may be the most natural at it, as her father was a big band singer in his own time. And it seems to suit her quite well; if she were older, I could see her fitting into the procession of Stan Kenton singers following Anita O'Day, June Christy and Chris Connor. She swings effortlessly with a solid band behind her. The Captain, Daryl Dragon, is not forgotten completely, as he co-produced this CD. How about everyone getting together for a follow-up?

Having heard and video taped Toni Tennille when she appeared on ETV, it makes me long for an album where she sings and the band plays as great as they did on this ETV Program. I've played this tape repeatedly--including twice today. On the ETV program, she sang "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby," "Sentimental Journey", "It Had To Be You" with Hal Lindon, "Moonglow". None of her CD's (I have two of them before this one)comes close to her ETV performance. And that is a shame because she has a great voice and a great feel for the music of the 40's. I think the choice of tunes made for all of her CD's is where the problem lies. I'd like an album of hers where she does only the most popular standards of the 40's, such as those on the ETV program. So I am disappointed in this album.

This is a Toni Tenille that will surprise those familiar only with her Captain and... work. Here, she takes on familiar and not so familiar Big Band numbers and turns in a dynamic performance. Listen to her delightful "Makin' Whoopee" or "I Wish I Were In Love Again" and prepare to be dazzled.