Track List

I'm Beginning to See the Light Ellington/Hodges/James/George

Take The'A'Train Strayhorn

Trumpet Blues and Cantabile James/Matthias

Almost Like Being in Love Lerner/Loewe

Begin the Beguine Porter

Maria Bernstein/Sondheim

Where or When Rodgers/Hart

East of the Sun Bowman

What Kind of Fool Am I Bricusse/Newley

Alright, Okay,You Win Walls/Wyche

I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Bassman/Washington

What Now My Love Becaud/Delanoe

Eager Beaver Kenton

Nice 'N' Easy Spence/Bergman/Keith

Get Me To The Church On Time Loewe/Lerner

Dark Orchid Nestico

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Tchaikovsky arr. Nestico

I'll Be Seeing You Fain/Kahal

Me and My Shadow Dreyer/Jolson/Rose

Programme Notes

I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT opens this recording in fine swinging style. The musical alchemy of its writers, none other than Harry James, Duke Islington and his alto sax star Johnny Hodges, is quite simply, breathtaking. Our version introduces Swing Wing leader, Daz Carter assuming the mantle of Mr Hodges. Billy Strayhom was perhaps one of Ellington's most important and influential co-composers. This arrangement of his immortal TAKE THE 'A' TRAIN, comes with a very slight twist in that Barry Forgie, leader of the BBC Big Band, has arranged it in the style of Glenn Miller. It highlights the subtle muted trumpet of Rob Scullion and the tenor sax of Danny Stannard. TRUMPET BLUES AND CANTABILE was composed and performed by trumpeter Harry James. It was a huge hit for Harry's Band, featuring in the 1944 motion picture 'Bathing Beauty". Here, stepping albeit briefly, into the shoes of the "Undisputed King of the trumpet" is Tom Ringrose.

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE first came to the fore in Lerner and Loewe's 1954 Musical Brigadoon' which starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. Providing the vocal here in this rather frolicsome rendering is Swing Wing founder and leader for 14 years, Steve Humphrey. The great Artie Shaw once jokingly referred to BEGIN THE BEGUINE as "a nice little tune from one of Cole Porter's very few flop shows.” In 1938 it was to become one of the best-selling records in history, catapulting Artie into the ranks of the top band leaders and immediately dubbed the new 'King of Swing'. Here Daz Carter recreates Shaw's mellow toned clarinet. The sublime Don Sebesky arrangement of MARIA from Bernstein and Sondheim's 'West Side Story' introduces the stratospheric lead trumpet of Rob Scullion in memory of the man for whom it was penned, the incomparable Maynard Ferguson.

Steve Humphrey sings his rendition of Rodgers and Hart's WHERE OR WHEN. This delightful arrangement from the genius that is Quincy Jones, featured on the 1966 Reprise release 'Sinatra At The Sands' with The Count Basie Orchestra. EAST OF THE SUN was a firm favourite of the Artie Shaw US Navy Band whilst they toured extensively in the South-West Pacific during WW2. This version however, is one which was recorded by the greatest of the British Big Bands, Ted Heath; one of no less than 800 song titles recorded by the band. The wonderful arrangement penned by Ted's staff arranger Johnny Keating, highlights John Bailey who echoes Ronnie Hughes stylish original trumpet solo. WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I featured in the 1961 Leslie Crocuses and Anthony Newly production "Stop The World I Want To Get Off", Steve Humphrey providing the Sammy Davis Jnr inspired vocal.

ORIGINALLY recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra and almost inextricably linked with the sonorous voice of Joe Williams, this instrumental arrangement of ALRIGHT, OKAY, YOU WIN features Tom Ringrose on trumpet and Daz Carter on alto sax. Tommy Dorsey was known affectionately as 'The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing', and lead trombonist Nancy Brizland emulates TD's sweet, mellifluous trombone style, dedicating this rendition of I'M GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU to father Dougie, a lifelong big band swing aficionado. Steve Humphrey steps up to the microphone once again to sing a Shirley Bassey inspired 1966 "finger clicking' hit from American songsmith Jack Jones entitled WHAT NOW MY LOVE.

The music of Stan Kenton was once described by an eminent American music critic as "bombastic and pretentious". Kenton's band was substantially more popular with the public than it ever was with jazz critics. Here, Swing Wing play his 1943 blockbuster hit EAGER BEAVER featuring Mike Parsons on piano and Daz Carter's alto sax. A cosy Sammy Nestico instrumental version of NICE 'N' EASY is in tribute to the man with whom the song will always be associated, Frank Sinatra. Written by Lew Spence and lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman it features the trumpet of John Bailey. Next is a frenetic arrangement of Lerner & Loewe's GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME from the 1964 hit film musical 'My Fair Lady', which featured Oscar nominee Stanley Holloway reprising his Broadway and West End role as Eliza Doolittle's irascible father Alfred P. Doolittle. Here in the guise of Stanley Holloway, is Steve Humphrey, at his fractious best!

DARK ORCHID affords the band the opportunity to play a more contemporary big band style with an arrangement from the prolific pen of Sammy Nestico. Taken from an album of the same name produced and performed by Sammy's own hand, our version features Daz Carter's 'cool' alto saxophone. Many of the great band leaders of the swing era drew their inspiration from the classical music repertoire. Tchaikovsky's DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY, taken from The Nutcracker ballet, is perhaps a great example of how an old friend can have a musical makeover, as in this rather whimsical but swinging Nestico adaptation. Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal penned I'LL BE SEEING YOU for the 1938 musical 'Right This Way' little knowing the almost anthem like status it would acquire during the dark days of WW2. Recorded by artists as diverse as Billy Holiday, Bing Crosby, Rod Stewart and even Liberace! This arrangement, previously recorded by Dennis Lotis and the Royal Air Force Squadronaires, features vocalist Steve Humphrey and John Bailey's strident trumpet. Not with just a little irony, to close this album, the leaders of Royal Air Force Swing Wing past and present, duet in this garrulous Al Jolson, Billy Rose, Dave Dreyer collaboration. Arranged by Billy May, ME AND MY SHADOW is the version recorded in 1962 by "Old Blue Eyes" and "Old Brown Eye" Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr.