As the title implies, this is very much a swing set. Pianist
Dick Hyman (a master of all pre-bop styles) has little difficulty emulating
Teddy Wilson,
Art Tatum and
Count Basie (among others) plus his own style in an octet also featuring trumpeter
Joe Wilder, trombonist
Urbie Green, altoist-clarinetist
Phil Bodner, baritonist
Joe Temperley, rhythm guitarist
Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist
Milt Hinton, drummer
Butch Miles and (on three tunes) altoist
Frank Wess. The opening and closing numbers are ad-lib blues both titled "From the Age of Swing"; sandwiched in between are ten swing-era standards plus a couple of obscure
Duke Ellington items. Among the highlights are "Topsy," "Them There Eyes," "Rose Room" and "Mean to Me." No real surprises occur, but mainstream fans should like this swinging set. ~ Scott Yanow