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TERRY MYERS ORCHESTRA A Tribute to Benny Goodman TMO 1001

1. Let’s Dance
2. Bugle Call Rag
3. Don’t Be That Way
4. The Very Thought of You
5. Stealin’ Apples
6. Moonglow
7. And the Angels Sing
8. Swingtime in the Rockies
9. One O’Clock Jump
10. Big John’s Special
11. Poor Butterfly
12. It’s Almost Like Being in Love
13. King Porter Stomp
14. Sing Sing Sing (Part 1)
15. Sing Sing Sing (Part 2)
16. Goodbye

Terry Myers - Clarinet, leader
Charlie Bertini, Steve Walters, Shawn Gratz, Don Johnson - Trumpets
John Allred, Steve Smith, Jerry Edwards, Joe Barati - Trombones
Dave Edwards, Bob Davis, Don Mitiken, Rex Wertz, Dave Weaver - Saxes
Dave Wolpe - Piano
Bob Leary - Guitar
Charlie Silva - Bass
Eddie Metz - Drums
Connie Brink - Vocals

Recorded April 1999, in Ocoee, Florida

 

Terry Myers was the baritone sax player in the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra when it was led by Buddy Morrow, before he was asked to form a Benny Goodman Band, initially to play on a cruise on the liner Norway. The band completed that gig successfully and went on to appear in many Florida venues, as well as in Las Vegas and New York City.

This is a very nice band: it plays the charts cleanly, the soloists are all good and, although it is playing music from a past era, it does so with a freshness and enthusiasm which is a joy to listen to. The recording technique, which used the minimum of re-mastering, meant that the band had to listen to one another, as though they were giving a live performance, so we are actually hearing what they played, not what someone else made out of it!

Terry handles the Goodman solos well, not perhaps quite to the BG standard, but who could! Drummer Eddie Metz keeps everything swinging. Terry plays several of the tunes a bit faster than the original versions, but the new tempos are quite acceptable. The dynamics are played very well, something many tribute bands tend to forget about.

I enjoyed every track and it is my opinion that anyone who is a fan of big band music and the Benny Goodman band in particular should buy this album and enjoy the performance.

Pianist Dave Wolpe contributed seven of the arrangements, which are similar to the originals but mostly a bit better. I have always enjoyed Dave’s arrangements which are played by many bands worldwide. Gordon Jenkins provided the arrangement for the final track, Goodbye.

Don Mather

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