Search - Various Artists :: Swing-O-Rama, Vol. 3: Hepcats

Vol. 3 breaks it down for cats and kittens

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 12/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This third edition of the SWING-O-RAMA series offers ten more original 78 sides of terrific hepcat jazz. The fold-out cover insert includes step-by-step dance instructions, using photographs of a decked out cat and kitten.



Bobby Sox Blues-- starts us out with Charles Brown sounding a bit like Nat Cole-- but only briefly. The song sets a nice tone for what's to come.

I Cover The Waterfront-- is very mellow; nice jazz, but almost too sedate for an album of swing tunes. The band includes a steel guitar in spots.

Be Bop Baby Blues-- kicks things into high gear; a fine song that has a great vocal, too.

Fightin' Mama Blue-- is taken from a well-played 78; no distortion, but some "swish" is present. Credit must go to the producers for not filtering this song to death.

Mixed Fruit-- is vintage hep jazz, and a very fine track, at that.

St. Louis Blues-- showcases a solid horn section. The famous W.C. Handy song swings nicely in this Vic Dickenson cover. Has an abrupt false ending and return.

June-teenth Jamboree-- is another platter that must have been spun a lot. The vocalist here really wails. Another great track.

I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City-- has a very bluesy piano break, and features a fine turn at the mike by Faye Thomas.

Christopher Columbus-- is a sax-driven number that spotlights a muted trumpet in places. This one really swings.

Dr. Duke's Boogie-- closes out this supermurgatroid set in fine and cool fashion. Boogie woogie piano accompanies the Duke Henderson vocal, with the whole bunch wailing for the coda.



This album gets points off for lack of liner notes and having only 10 tracks. In spite of these, it is a very fine collection of jukebox jive tunes.

"