The talented swing singer
Daryl Sherman and vibraphonist
John Cocuzzi pay tribute to
Mildred Bailey and
Red Norvo on this very enjoyable CD.
Sherman does a superlative job of emulating "The Rockin' Chair Lady" without needing to change her own basic approach much on some of
Bailey's greatest hits, plus a few obscurities. "Georgia on My Mind" and "Rockin' Chair" are effectively combined in a medley, the spirit of
Bailey's saucy rendition of "Squeeze Me" is re-created, "It's So Peaceful in the Country" is wistful, and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" really swings.
Cocuzzi (whose sound is somewhere between
Norvo and
Lionel Hampton) takes some fine solos, but the spectacular trumpeter
Randy Sandke (reminding one of both
Bunny Berigan and
Charlie Shavers) steals the show every time he appears. Trombonist Randy Reinhart and clarinetist
Bobby Gordon also fare well, and both "The Man I Love" (which has a memorable
Sandke-Reinhart tradeoff) and "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" are taken as instrumentals. But it is
Daryl Sherman's wonderful singing that makes this a particularly memorable outing. ~ Scott Yanow