JOEY DeFRANCESCO
Singin' And Swingin' (Concord)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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The title pretty much says it all. Fans of Joey DeFrancesco's records know him as a master of the B-3 with a powerful sense of swing. They may not, however, know what members of his live audiences have long known - he's a singer with a capable range and phrasing that's influenced by the same swing sense he applies to the Hammond.

On Singin' And Swingin' the full force of his talents as an organist and vocalist are on display, along with a touch of his trumpet skills. Will Joey the singer supplant Joey the organist? I'm not inclined to think so. Will his vocals continue to augment his keyboard work on future recordings? I hope so. His vocal style is clearly (and admittedly) Sinatra-inspired, but that's pretty fine inspiration, and while he's hardly the only singer out there copping the Chairman's phrasing, he does it as well as most and better than many.

The material DeFrancesco selected for his recorded vocal debut covers a wide range of standards, from hot swing to sensitive balladry, and he handles them all with ease. Eight of the tracks feature a big band led by Frank Capp playing arrangements by Horace Ott. When the big band is offstage, the chores are handled by DeFrancesco's regular trio (which is also incorporated into the band) with Paul Bollenback on guitar and Byron Landham on drums. Regardless of the ensemble or arrangement, there's top notch play on every cut. This disc is a sure crowd pleaser, and a welcome debut of another side of a terrific contemporary musician.

Track List:

You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To * Mr. Dennis Houlihan * They Say It's Wonderful * Did You Hear Him Holler * Mack The Knife * One Mint Julep * In The Wee Small Hours * I Thought About You * The Sidewalk Is Wild * Let Me Love You Tonight * Kansas City * Danny Boy * I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

© 2002 - Shaun Dale