Sure enough, The Phantom Dancer swings, but it's not a replacement for classic recordings. The band knows what to do in terms of style, and the instrumental performances are convincing, but the vocals are not quite up to the high standard of the musicians.
On the very first track, “If I Could Be With You”, the band demonstrates a complete understanding of slow swing. The push-pull between the drummer and the rest of the ensemble that is a defining characteristic of the style is just right. Furthermore, Bob Henderson (on trumpet) and Paul Furniss (on reeds) sound as if they have been playing together all of their lives. “It's Only a Paper Moon” is a high point. In fact, all of the up-beat tracks where they are cranked up a little such as “Anything Goes” or “My Blue Heaven” are fun to hear because of their great duo work. Some very solid playing from the rhythm section completes the formula that makes the Bakelite Dance Band swing.
In spite of Greg Poppleton's obvious love of the music, I have to take some issue with his vocals. He is a decent crooner, but sometimes over-doing the 'crooner' style leads to ambiguities in pitch. The problem is most obvious on the slower tunes, like “Star Dust” or “Would You Like to Take a Walk”. I'm not saying that the vocals should stop a fan of these tunes from adding this nice recording to your collection. Because of the vocals however, I would have to say that The Phantom Dancer is not on the same level as recordings that have become classics, such as those by the Dorsey Orchestra. Of course, getting to that level is a life-long pursuit and this band is still developing its sound. I look forward to hearing what they do on their next album.
This album is not only about the aural experience, though. There is tremendous benefit in the CD jacket. It reads like a history of some of the biggest hits and most prominent composers of the early swing era. It also features unique period pictures and original artwork in the commercial style popular in the 1920s and 30s. These materials could almost be published as a book without the recording, and are a testament to Greg Poppleton's hard work on research and his strength as a producer. For swing enthusiasts the trivia alone is worth the sticker price, never mind all of the nice music.
Donny Harvey-MuzikReviews.com Contributor
December 16, 2008
