It’s been a good while since I listened to any big band swing: my playlist has been all duos, trios and small combos for the past few months. To my great shame, it’s also been a while since I went dancing or sat at my piano (I’ve been busy, mostly learning to roller skate)—but this disc might just be the kick up the backside which will send me freewheeling back to all three.
Released in June, Together Again is the work of two very unusual years for the NYC-based collective, whose output we previously described as “crisp, clean, and refreshingly joyful.” Fronted by the Count Basie Great American Swing Contest-winning trumpeter and vocalist, the 17-piece outfit kept working through numerous lockdowns until their recent reunion, compiling the fruits of their labors into a record which is equally polished and pleasant.
If one were putting on the perfect post-pandemic dance social, this tracklist would be a splendid starting point. Boasting Lindy hop essential staples like “The Big Apple Contest,” “One O’Clock Jump,” and “In a Mellow Tone,” it also features trad to keep the Balboa and shag dancers happy in the shape of “Mahogany Hall Stomp.”
Add to this lesser-heard titles like Les Brown’s “Bizet Has His Day” and you have the recipe for an event which is both a cathartic reunion with old favorites and a chance to meet new ones—in terms of the tunes,
