Last Swing of Century

Description

Ken Peplowskis tribute to Benny Goodman iLast Swing of the Century/i will delight listeners who think of the great clarinetist and bandleader before they think of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy when someone mentions the word iswing/i Recorded live in Japan on the last night of a 15-concert tour in 1998 this is classic swing at its finest with Peplowski and a 13-piece big band tearing through classic arrangements written for the Goodman Orchestra by greats like Fletcher Henderson and others Peplowski succeeds in bringing this music to life with each of these 16 tunes remaining faithful to the original versions but still allowing the soloists plenty of creative leeway to make this material their own The top-caliber musicians (several of whom were members of Goodmans Orchestra at one time or another) do the formidable material justice Highlights include Rickey Woodards tenor sax solo on the hard-charging King Porter Stomp and Frank Vignolas astounding guitar playing on a duet performance of China Boy with Peplowski But its Peplowski of course with the biggest shoes to fill and he responds to the challenge with vigor sounding beautifully melodic on Restless and bursting with energy on Dont Be That Way i--Ezra Gale/i