Swingin' Radio - Jumpin Joz Band
Swingin' Radio - Jumpin Joz Band
Drums and vocals: Rick Joswick; Vocals: Vicki McClure, M. Lee; Keyboards: Michael Carr,
John Brainard, Ruben Valtierra; Bass: Dan Lutz, Tom Gargano, Mark Dreice; Saxophone: Jerry
Moore, Bruce Eskovitz, Rob Kyle; Trumpet: Phil Topping; Trombone: Dan Weinstein;
Guitar: Mike Simms
This Los Angeles based band releases their first CD, titled Swingin' Radio. It shows the
band's versatility with a good mix of original tunes and covers of swing standards.
However, they also show a varying mix of good and bad.
Almost all the songs are good tempos for 6-count dancing and a little more than half are
good for 8-count dancing. Vicki McClure's sexy vocals on Ain't Misbehavin' and
her scat on Honeysuckle Rose will perk your ears up, but too many of the songs
have a disco feel to them, like A-Train Medley, Tell Me I'm Your Man,
and Woman You Can Trust. A-Train Medley is a total derailment and
shouldn't have been included on the CD, unless you like Hooked On Swing. Tunes like Louis
Jordan's Choo Choo Boogie could have been better had they packed more punch on
the breaks, like swing music.
This CD really is disco rather than swing. The drummer doesn't lay down a swing beat, but
sticks to a rock and roll or disco beat. When I listened to this CD, it took me awhile to
figure out why these songs didn't swing, then I listened to the drums closely and found
the evidence I needed.
What I really like about the CD was McClure's vocals and the sax solos in Sing Sing
Sing and Closer To The Bone, both Louis Prima covers. What I don't like is
the feeling that the band is in another state while the vocalists sing. I'm not a sound
techie but even I can tell that more work should have been done blending the vocals and
instruments.
My suggestion is that McClure pack her bags and find a real swing band instead of hangin'
out hoping for the next resurgence in disco!
Bottom Line: To buy or not to buy…..DON'T BUY. If you really want to give it a
chance, Here's how: