The Rhythm Gamblers – Swing Music Revival

The Rhythm Gamblers lean on the mature and experienced side of the swing continuum. Not because they average older—gray heads are common in the hippest bands and most of the Gamblers are years away from gray. Their maturity instead shows in their dedication to authenticity and their experience shows in their ability to demonstrate it. While most bands playing for swing dancers in Europe cast the net wide and somewhat anachronistically towards traditional jazz styles. The Rhythm Gamblers are laser focused on an early ’40s small group sound. Their point of departure is the collaboration of Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman, and you can feel it even when the guitar isn’t prominent. Their take on “A Smooth One,” a Christian/Goodman release from 1941, really nails it. They dig up some real gems to cover. Ben Webster’s “Woke Up Clipped” looses its growl in a smooth swinging treatment. Basie’s “Dickie’s Dream” is done with clarity and purpose. The presentation of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” is a satisfying, almost four-minute instrumental jam on a song typically given underwhelming treatment. “Savoy Blip” features light pleasing exchanges between piano, guitar, and trumpet. Simon Laurent brings a passion to his guitar and several of these light and bright tracks are surprisingly moving. Cyril Kuntzelmann’s tickling of the ivories is smile-in