By Charleston Hepston
Steve
Clarke & The Working Stiffs – Metropolitan
2006
SQ
Issue: Spring 2006, Volume 16, Issue 2
The Band:
“The Working Stiffs swing hard and hot,
jammin’ and jivin’ their way right into your dancing shoes. Their jump blues and jazz bill, with some rockabilly thrown in for good
measure, complimented by Steve’s golden saxophone, is a favorite with the dancers.” --- Terry Gardner from the Working Stiffs
website.
It’s about time. Metroplitan is a perfect representation of what
this band is all about. Not about to be
pigeon-holed into one style, these guys just plain swing!
Whether it’s jump, jazz or some sassy blues, you are going to get your
money’s worth!
You’ll recognize lots of the
tunes they cover, like Ain’t Nobody Here but Us Chickens and Five Guys
Named Moe to Swing Brother Swing and Cheek to Cheek. There are plenty of other gems like my favorite
song by Gearty, Women be Wise.
The band is tight and swingin’. Clarke, winner of several “Horn of the
year” awards from the MN Music Academy, never disappoints and his showmanship comes
through on this live recording as if you were right there dancing live. But the musicianship has a deep roster with this
band. Merchant’s guitar solo’s are
spot on, whether jumpin’ or complimenting the golden voice of Gearty. Not to be left out are the horns of Steven Kung
and Matt Darling. These guys pack a punch and
give the band a full sound. The backbeat
rhythm is in the capable hands of of drummer Swenson and Hornick on bass.
Katie Gearty. Wow! Her
singing ranges from sultry on Women be Wise to upbeat and bright on Swing
Brother Swing and Cheek to Cheek. Her voice is beautiful and and has a wide range. She is very adept at her phrasing as well. She’s able to capture the emotion of each
song and deliver it to you like she’s singing to you personally.
Clarke
and Merchant also handle singing duties, adding to the dimension of the band. With three good singers, a great horn section and
a steady rhythm section, you’re gonna find this CD in your player more than not.
Beats per
minute. “The Stiffs” are a
workin’ band. They have dancers in mind
with their musical choices and this CD caters to the dancer. Not to say non-dancing music lovers should shy
away. Anybody can tap their toes and
you’re gonna do a lot of that with this CD. Hopefully,
this band will get some national recognition with their debut CD. The professionalism, the fun, the energy, and the
passion they put into their music should be loved by all, not just folks on the local
scene.
Bottom Line: To buy or not to buy….. BUY! Here’s how: contact The Working Stiffs at their website, www.workingstiffs.org