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There's been a fair bit of coverage in the last 24 hours, acknowledging Jools Holland's first number 1 album, a swing collaboration with Rod the Mod.
I think Rod's first stab at the Great American Songbook was half decent. The arrangements were good, although his voice didn't always sit comfortably within them. It was certainly no ATGB a la BF. A further four volumes, cashing in on the success of the first, were really rather tiresome in my view and increasingly less endearing.
However this new collaboration is a revelation. Fourteen years on and under Jools' stewardship, this is a something of a big band swing belter. Jools is to swing what Colin Good is to jazz, both musically and reverently. The respect each has for their chosen genre makes the listening pure joy and, for the most part, Rodders' delivery this time round is nigh on flawless. He knows exactly how to perform these big, showbiz numbers.
To those amongst us well acquainted with these songs - chiefly via parents who grew up on them, but also via regular TV screenings of classic Hollywood musicals back in the day and the radio of the time (BBC Light Programme, anyone?!) - 'Swing Fever' is a great listen that knocks your musical socks off. Although a good deal more sedate, it makes me long for BF to return to 30s standards and hear one more time great songs delivered with the same musicianship, professionalism, whimsy and, above all, reverence.
Has anyone else given this a spin?
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