Swingin' Away [Live]

Swingin' Away [Live]

Editorial Reviews
<"b000035x833999"> From the Label
It is an honor for us to have been able to release "Swingin' Away" as our first CD, in honor of that special man, Frankie Manning. We were concerned that some would think that because this was recorded live at a birthday celebration, it would be looked upon as just a tribute CD. But, when we first listened to the live mix, we knew we had something hot that the whole world had to hear.

There is something special about live recordings and some of my favorite recording were those recorded live. This is the way it is, on edge, live, and then there is the interaction between band and crowd. No studio recording could ever match this. One take and that is that.

George Gee is also a special man -- he is a guy who loves this music, played big band swing when it was not popular, even took the barbs when the "serious" jazz musicians looked down on playing for dancers. Swing music was from the beginning dance music. Today, a lot of the name big bands say they play big band dance music, but, what they really play is concert music -- they play for themselves. Except for society benefits, a lot of them never play dance events on a regular basis. That is what sets the Gee music into another category, one like the bands of the swing era. If the dancers did not like your band at the Savoy, well, then the band had a very very very short run. So put this CD on and roll back the rug.

Also there are the band members themselves. I know each one of them and they are all superb jazz artists and they love to play for Gee and to play for dancers. In fact, little by little, the band is lured on to the floor and a lot of them turn out to be pretty good dancers as well. They are all individuals and this is no cookie cutter band.

And, Frankie, well, the CD liner notes with the photographs of his celebration and the CD itself with his big warm face, well, I cannot describe them, but this is our thanks to him for keeping swing alive.

Executive Producer: Alan D. Sugarman Producers: Walt Szymanski (Musical Director), George Gee, Alan Sugarman Recording Engineers John Burns and Mark Frankel Mixing: James Madison, Garden Productions Mastering: John Burr-jbQ Studios Photography: Clement Kois CD Notes and Design: Alan D. Sugarman Graphic Design: David Levy Historical Information: Cynthia Millman Recorded Live: Roseland Ballroom, NYC, May 26, 1999 Carla Cook Appearing Courtesy of MaxJazz Records Available on MaxJazz, "It's All About Love"

<"b000035x833899"> From the Artist
"It was an honor for me to be selected to play for Frankie Manning's Birthday Celebration at Roseland Ballroom in New York City on May 26, 1999. And what a thrill it was for me that night -- Frankie Manning, the legend of Lindy Hop who knew all those cats at the Savoy Ballroom, Chick Webb, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Ella and then appeared in movies in Hollywood, and there we were in that big ballroom glittering and dressed up for that night. And all those dancers, 1700, from all over the world.... read more

<"b000035x834999"> Album Description
The ultimate big band swing CD to bring in the 21st Century. In the early 1930s, a young teenager from Harlem began hanging around the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem listening to the sounds of Chick Webb and other swing greats. Soon, this young teenager, Frankie Manning, was dancing in the Cats Corner, became one of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, helped create the Lindy Hop and toured the world with bands like the Count Basie Orchestra. Still dancing and teaching 70 years later, Frankie won Tony awards for choreography, has been featured on 20-20, Good Morning American, GQ and People Magazine, and travels the world as the pied piper of the Lindy Hop. In May 1999, Frankie was honored at Roseland Ballroom on his 85th Birthday in an event that brought 1700 dancers and fans of big band music from all over the world.

George Gee's band was chosen to lead off this event, and in an instant, the swing era returned, the big band and dancers creating an unforgettable evening that is destined to be one of the legendary evening of swing. Fortunately, the evening was captured on digital tape, and the special essence of a live recording can be experienced over and over with this CD.

This was the real thing. This is not concert big band music to be played to an audience sitting on their back sides -- this is big band music played the way it was originally played, to a live dance hall.

The CD ranges through the great big band pieces including little recorded gems like "Wednesday Night Hop." All the music makes you want to dance. Featured is tenor and vocalist Lance Byrant who also wrote and sings his own composition "She's Never Satisfied" which is destined to become a new big band vocal standard. And then there is vocalist Carla Cook who is fresh from her new CD on MaxJazz records (backed up on that CD by Regina Carter and Cyrus Chestnut). And, then, there was the band -- blasting out energy and making every dancer want to crowd on the floor while big bands fans sat and watched and grinned as the swing era remade itself for the 21st Century.

And, with the CD are extensive liner notes -- a 12 panel poster with notes about the Lindy Hop, and photographs of this special evening, including photos of Frankie flipping a swing dancer over his back -- during his birthday dance with 85 women. This is CD to be treasured and there is nothing like it. The real stuff. Dedicated to Frankie Manning.

Excerpt from the liner notes:

"Born May 26, 1914, Frankie Manning grew up dancing in Harlem's ballrooms, most notably the Savoy. He invented Lindy Hop's first "air steps"-aerials done in time to music-and became a member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. He traveled the world, performing with bands like the Count Basie Orchestra, fought in combat in the South Pacific in World War II, and appeared in numerous movies before retiring from dance in the early 1950s to join the post office. After coming out of retirement 30 years later, he won a Tony Award for choreographing Black and Blue in 1989. He continues to travel and teach around the world.

At Roseland, he celebrated his 85th Birthday by dancing with 85 ladies to Shiny Stockings played by the Count Basie Orchestra-here he is shown tossing Jenny Thomas over his back in a "Lindy Flip" at 11:34 PM.

Roseland Ballroom honored Frankie that night by placing his shoes in its famous lobby display of shoes and photos of famous dancers. In its presentation, Roseland stated that if history could be rewritten, Frankie "would have been on our floor in 1936 dancing to the Count's music."

Swingin' Away [Live]

Swingin' Away, Music, George Gee & His Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra, Big Band, Big Bands, Jazz, Pop, Retro Swing, Swing

Swingin' Away [Live]

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