Hello, reader—it’s been a while. (Happy New Year, by the way!) A while since I wrote, a while since I danced—a while since I did anything fun, to be honest. I suppose I’d been in a malaise since Christmas (our second without Dad), and it’s taken some medicinal music to lift me out of the funk and get me back to the things I enjoy—including tipping you to the hottest new jazz that money can buy.
I listened to loads of jazz over the holidays, but nothing really grabbed me until several weeks into the new year. That’s when I came across Getting Some Fun Out of Life, the latest album by Gretchen and the Sidecar Six. With a title like that, would this be the auditory analgesic I needed? I took an experimental dose, and the results were quasi-miraculous.
The LA native organized her DC-based Sidecar Six circa 2018, having graduated from the Catholic University of America with a bachelor’s degree in music and musical theatre. The band caters particularly to the dance crowd—always a good sign in my opinion, as it promises hard-swinging tunes at triple-stepping tempos with tight, three-minute arrangements that don’t overstay their welcome.
This first full-length record is all of that, paired with elite musicians and a singer whose voice is nigh Tony-worthy. Like a Broadway show it opens with a spotlight on Midgley, who sings half of “About a Quarter to Nine” alone (except for some minimalist comping from pianist Craig Gildner). A quick transition via Amy Shook’s walking bass, and we’re off with gusto into this showcase of swing.
The tracklist is a belter, featuring a good mix of sweet ballads like “I Could Write a Book” and bawdy blues numbers like “I Know How to Do It.” Midgley tackles both styles with a stage-ready voice that is crystal clear and perfectly on pitch. She uses just a little more tremolo than I like, but that’s a matter of taste rather than one of skill. She keeps up a girl-next-door, cast-of-Glee sweetness throughout the sweet-and-spicy repertoire—it’s very listenable, although I’d quite like to hear some of that theater school versatility next time.
No showboater, Midgley has allowed a couple of instrumentals—frankly it would be a crime not to, given the players at her disposal. Trumpeter Josh Kauffman is the Yamaha-endorsed first chair of the US Army’s top jazz ensemble; saxophonist Scott Silbert was chief arranger for the United States Navy Band; bassist Amy Shook has played with the likes of Maurice Hines, Kurt Elling, and Lionel Hampton; and drummer Jon Tigert has been a featured performer with the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras (as well as backing Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders).
Meanwhile, pianist Craig Gildner is a veteran bandleader and Coby Siegel is an up-and-coming jazz/folk guitar idol—so expect to hear top-notch soloing which is creative without being overly baroque, backed by comping that doesn’t crowd anyone out. It’s an unqualified good time, from some very qualified personnel. Check it out on Bandcamp where you can get a digital download for just $10—because good music really is the best medicine.
Getting Some Fun Out of Life
Gretchen and the Sidecar Six
sidecarsix.bandcamp.com
Dave Doyle is a swing dancer, dance teacher, and journalist based in Gloucestershire, England. Write him at davedoylecomms@gmail.com. Find him on Twitter @DaveDoyleComms.
