THE FRANK & JOE SHOW
66 2/3 (Hyena)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

---

It wouldn't be right to review this disc without a prefatory nod to legendary producer Joel Dorn's role. First there was Hot Club USA, a fine Django Reinhardt cover band, if covering Django (no small thing to do well, of course) is the crest of your ambition. Then Joel Dorn happened.

Dorn saw the spark of a broader musical vision and soon there was the Frank & Joe Show. Originally just the pair, guitarist Frank Vignola and percussionist Joe Ascione, the studio and Dorn. The result was their debut, 33 1/3. The response prompted Frank and Joe to take their show on the road, and more players were gathered to expand the sound for the stage. Two years down that road, we have 66 2/3, an impressive new release from what is now a road hardened sextet capable of following their musical imaginations wherever they lead. You hear about the guys that can swing Bach? These are those guys.

Dorn's presence is also felt in the expert turns of a pair of guest vocalists, Jane Monheit and Janis Siegal, both veterans of sessions with Dorn for their own solo efforts.

Describing the music itself is something of a puzzle. It's jazz, sure, but that term has been used to describe so much music that it's, well, imprecise, to be generous.

In fact, it's impossible to pin down the music. Suffice to say, it's not just a disc, it's an adventure, led by extraordinary tour directors dedicated to your complete satisfaction. I'm completely satisfied.

Track List:

It Might As Well Be Spring * My Prayer * Manhattan * Quizas * Sway * Hungarian Dance No. 5 * After Hours * Let It Happen * City Samba * Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans * Bach Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin > Mozart Jam * That's All * Glow Worm

© 2005 - Shaun Dale