It’s only been a few months since I reviewed The Hot Toddies’ self-titled debut album, which was released last year. I’d like to think that my enthusiastic review sent the band flying back into the studio to concoct a follow-up, but that almost certainly—no, absolutely positively—isn’t the case. In fact, I expect they got done with the first record, felt quite rightly pleased with it and simply couldn’t wait to get to work on another.
The result, just 13 months later, was Triple Step: a title which beckoned me back for second helpings of Hot Toddy with its Lindy hop connotations. Could the NYC swing supergroup possibly do the double, delivering a one-two punch of knockout albums within a year-and-a-bit, taking pole position amongst the contemporary jazz jockeys and earning a gold medal in the process? How many sports can I mix into a single metaphor? Read on to find out…
I dove into [there’s another one] the band’s esteemed personnel in my previous write-up, but it bears repeating here that this relatively young outfit is staffed by a whole constellation of stars in their own right. It’s a smaller roster than last time—nine players and singers instead of fifteen—but they’ve accumulated an outstanding number of accolades between them: trumpeter Alphonso Horne has toured with Wynton Marsalis; sax man Linus Wyrsch has won a Grammy; and lead singer Hannah Gill has earned plaudits from all corners of the jazz press, to list but three.
As with their previous effort, the group has crammed into this album over a dozen takes on classic swing tracks, focusing on Lindy-friendly mid-tempo numbers with occasional slow drags during which dancers can catch their breath. Their previous disc was a riot of reharmonization and novel instrumentation, often taking well-worn standards in curious new directions—that approach isn’t as evident here, except for a preponderance of reverb-soaked guitar from Justin Poindexter.
The record opens with “In A Mellow Tone,” featuring dual lead vocals from both Gill and Queen Esther. Both have delightfully deep, rich voices—Gill’s sticking closer to the melody and Esther’s swirling smoothly around it—which complement each other beautifully. It’s a strong opener, even if some of the spicier horn/reed harmonies set my teeth on edge. The singers alternate thereafter, except on “On the Sunny Side of the Street”—a real acid-test track, which this band passes with aplomb. It powers along on Poindexter’s guitar, lubricated by Jason Yeager’s Hammond and Ian Hutchinson’s thumping upright bass, with Gill and Esther both at the controls.
Other standards tackled herein include “I’m Confessin’” (a slow, sultry take similar to Peggy Lee’s), “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” (more straightforwardly swinging than many of the bebopish versions out there), “You Made Me Love You” (positively bounces along, unlike the steadily swaggering Harry James or Al Jolson takes), and “Moonglow” (more soulful and less saccharine than Benny Goodman’s band). “School Days” is the one track featuring a male vocal, supplied by Poindexter. He proves himself a capable crooner, lending this playful number a Western swing vibe. All in all it’s a very listenable, very danceable collection which begs to be listened to at the highest possible bitrate and in glorious stereo.
One way in which Triple Step tops the Hot Toddies’ previous release is that it’s being offered on vinyl rather than cassette—because come on, we can’t all be expected to collect two outdated audio formats, can we? You can of course get it on CD too (for the car, I guess) and as a digital download via Bandcamp. Prices range from $10 to $30, depending on how retro you’re feeling, so choose your medium and stump up. But do grab this album and their previous one while you’re at it—the Hot Toddies are shaping up to be a must-have band in any swing fan’s collection.
Triple Step
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band
hottoddiesjazz.bandcamp.com
