Search - Mike Longo :: Still Swingin'

For any jazz enthusiast's personal collection

Midwest Book Review | Oregon, WI USA | 08/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Still Swingin' from The Mike Longo Trio and featuring the musical magic of bassist Ben Brown and drummer Ray Mosca, showcases jazz -- arguably the most important and original contribution America has made to the history of music. A strongly recommended addition to any jazz enthusiast's personal collection, Still Swingin' lives up to the highest standards of jazz recorded performance and is comprised of All Or Nothing At All (6:41); How High The Moon (7:34); Trane's Blues (6:54); It Never Entered My Mind (6:14); Oleo (3:09); Wildflower (6:07); I Didn't Know What Time It Was (5:03); The Night Is Love (4:31); Without A Song (6:47); From This Moment On (3:00); Bones (7:00); and Savannah Calling (6:03). Total Time: 69:03."

The Right Stuff!

Billy Birks | Miami, Fla | 03/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mike Longo has been around a long time. I remember the great work he did when he was Dizzy's pianist years ago. This is a marvelous CD in which he steps forward on his own to the delight of anyone who gives it a listen. I have been a jazz fan for over 40 years and the music on this disk, for me, is what it's all about. From the opener, All Or Nothing At All right through to the closer Savannah Calling it swings throughout. Longo's understated style really grows on you and his use of space is a joy to listen to. The side men with Ben Brown on bass and Ray Mosca on drums are superior! If you don't have this, GET IT!"

He is One of Our Modern Day Jazz Masters

Adam Rafferty | New York, New York United States | 02/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Longo's latest CD release "Still Swinging" is an absolute joy to listen to. Just a few bars into the trio's medium swing tempo version of "All or Nothing at All" and my foot starts tapping, and the tunes just get more delicious as the CD plays on. The album is a delight, and currently it is living in my CD changer!I think this is what Longo must have had in mind by the title "Still Swinging" : the joy and groove that come from true swing are like no other. Longo in his liner notes refers to images of audiences dancing to Count Basie' Orchestra in Ken Burns' recent video special. That was a day and age where some of today's so-callled stars would have gotten thrown off stage for not swinging. I hope that will come back soon!!To really catch a groove that gets under people's skin and awaken undeniable happiness is something that is taken for granted, but ironically I don't hear that quality on many of today's jazz albums. Longo stands alone among today's pianists in his ability to create interesting arrangements with new harmonies, drop melodies in unexpected places in the rhythm, and cause a listeners foot to stomp! This "quality" is something that Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum and others had. Longo in no way copies what they did, but carries on the great tradition of "how" they did it.Longo's touch and tone are completely his own, and the interesting places that his melodies fall within the beat are totally new to my ears. So what you are getting is not an "old" concept by any means, but a new one that is fresh and exciting and yes..innovative.Ben Brown and Ray Mosca get an A+ for their tasty rhythm section work - and you'll chuckle when you hear the bass solo on "Savannah Calling".So, if you want to feel good, and want to listen to a jazz album that proves that the groove is alive and well, get a copy of "Still Swingin"!"