Matt Tolentino: Sweet Rhythm in Dallas

At first appearance, Singapore Slingers leader Matt Tolentino seems a living definition of the word “anachronism.” He might be an impeccably-groomed Jazz Age time-traveler, dropped unaccountably into twenty-first century Dallas after taking a wrong turn at the Coolidge administration. This impression lingers as you discover that among his instruments of choice are banjo, piano, accordion, and bass saxophone. Soon, however, you learn that he is eminently versed in the arcane technology of the present day, has a Facebook account and a website that certainly looks better than yours, and travels in time at exactly the same rate as the rest of us. Matt's temporal journey began in 1985, and Dallas, Texas is his hometown. His musical journey began a few years later as he spent time with his grandfather, who had an LP compilation of hits of the Big Band Era. One track in particular appealed to Matt: Henry Busse's mid-1930s recording of “Hot Lips.” Unlike his later “shuffle rhythm” approach, Busse's 1934 Decca version of the song has the genuine feel and spirit of the 1920s. That all-too-brief holdover of the earlier style of rhythm captivated Matt Tolentino and determined the course of his musical life. A Coffee Club Revelation Shortly thereafter a neighbor gave Matt a copy of a CD by Rob Fisher's Coffee Club Orchestra, Shaking the Blues Away, and his taste for 'twenties musi