HARMONIOUS WAIL: Gypsy Swing

Harmonious Wail

Gypsy Swing

© 2003 Bendy Music (636943705629)

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Reminiscent of Django Reinhardt's distinct style with smoldering vocals laced among the jazzy mandolin and guitar; an infectious blend of continental jazz, swing, gypsy music

notes

Rick's Café
February 13, 2004
Volume 2, No.2
www.rickscafe.org
Musicianship: ****
Composition: ****
Lyrics/Interpretation: ****
Production: ****
Packaging: ****


Gypsy Swing, the latest release from Harmonious Wail, proves that certain artists' work is like fine wine: it merely gets better with age. Harmonious Wail has been performing together for fifteen years at this point and it shows in every aspect of Gypsy Swing. Recorded in Verona, Wisconsin at Shady Bend Studios, the album delivers the goods on all fronts: performance, production, design and songwriting / arranging. While the majority of the tunes are traditional pieces and standards rather than wholly original works, they are beautifully interpreted in such a manner as to render them completely fresh and compelling.
Gypsy Swing is named after a unique flavor of European jazz music created and heavily influenced by the work of legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and his longtime collaborator Stephane Grappelli. This expressive and decidedly European form of jazz features expressive and heavily melodic guitar and fiddle in a string band context: very seldom do traditional brass and woodwinds appear in this style. As the genre evolved, elements of traditional eastern European folk music began to play a heavier role in the style as well.
Highlights of the album include a beautiful arrangement of the traditional Russian folk number "Dark Eyes" and a wonderfully expressive version of "Minor Swing" by Django. Harmonious Wail's rendition of "Czardas", another traditional piece, features some absolutely stunning mandolin work by Sims Delaney-Potthoff. Guitarist Tom Waselchuk's playing throughout the album is especially masterful. The album is a must-have for any fan of guitar and mandolin based music, jazz or not. When Stephane Grappelli. himself says "This is my music they are playing" and Bela Fleck states that "this is a goooood band," you know that we're talking about the real deal.
Now stop reading and go buy the album. You won't be disappointed.

www.wail.com
www.naxosworld.com

Stephen Ellestad
___

Gypsy Swing features well-known standards such as "Minor Swing," "Sheik of Araby," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," and "St. Louis Blues." Harmonious Wail founder and leader Sims Delaney-Potthoff studied for seven years under Jethro Burns and cites among his other influences Reinhardt and his cohort Stephane Grappelli, as well as David Grisman and Louis Armstrong. Along with vocalist Maggie Delaney-Potthoff and guitarist Tom Waselchuk, Harmonious Wail has achieved an immense local following and has received strong praise throughout the Midwest.

"They have a great feel for the vintage swing material, and manage to remain true to the spirit of the originals while infusing the songs with contemporary chops and energy." -Dirty Linen

Gypsy passion and romanticism are very much in evidence, along with a sizable French cabaret vibe and the adventurousness of recasting familiar American songs ("Chasing Rainbows," "Sheik of Araby," etc.) in Gypsy jazz style. The presence of a mandolin as the frequent lead instrument and some very tart violin playing bring a degree of bluegrass as well (this is an American band, after all). It's mostly snappy instrumentals, but a few smoky vocal selections add variety and color to the mix of covers and originals. A generous running time of 76 minutes allows this charmingly infectious music to work its way into you cool and slow

reviews

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  • Gypsy Swing by Harmonious Wail
    author: Jonathan Husted

    Love this recording - the instrumentals are awesome! Maybe a few too many vocal tracks for me (I'm more geared to the Mandolin and fiddle than vocals, and more gypsy than jazz) but definitely great to hear these old tunes again. Will be listening to this one LOTS!

  • Great Recording! If you like gypsy music and mandolin, you will love this record
    author: Jon Kay
  • Fantastic!
    author: Orth

    Great ensemble! Gypsy is even better than their debut CD!

  • Great swing gypy jazz cd
    author: Steve Lang

    I liked this one even better than the live one because of the fiddle. Even though I'm mando centric I think the fiddle adds an authenticity to it . I'm taking this CD to Johnny Gimble's Swing Music camp so you might get some more reviews directly. If you like this one check out Django's Cadillac on CD Baby.

  • Upbeat music that is still refreshing after many hours of play
    author: C. Whetten

    My daughter, majoring in Music at BYU, called home and told me she just heard the most facinating version of "Dark Eyes" on the Jazz station (probably broadcasting from SLC, UT). She remembered Gypsy Swing. I looked it up on the web, found CD Baby (another jewel) and bought the CD for her as a Valentines gift. (Dads can do that without concerns about what the girl will think.) Naturally I had to "check it out" first. I love it! So I had to buy my own, and then another for my mother-in-law for Mothers Day. The list will grow as my relatives and friends here it too. Thanks Harmonious Wail, I hear 'fun' when I play your music.

  • string swing is such a good thing
    author: Logan

    Heard it, Bought it, love it!

  • I saw them live at Berea College
    author: Jessica

    I'm a student at Berea College and had the joy of hearing this CD live before I bought it. There is so much detail in the music and individual instruments. I love it.

  • Great band, great gypsy swing, Indispensable!
    author: Nicholas Musin-Pushkin

    I can't help but place this CD on the very top of my numerous gypsy swing recordings!

  • The CD was just as I had hoped from reading the info online.
    author: Chris McCowan

    I just got the HARMONIOUS WAIL, Gypsy Swing CD. The CD is great and I would recommend it to anyone interested in swing. I bought it for my youngest daughter (16) who sings and plays mandolyn. She loves it.

  • Incredible style of music, incredibly performed.
    author: Ed Regan

    I have always loved jazz and big band swing. Harmonious Wail and Gypsy Swing is really incredible. A different face on the music style I really enjoy. I cannot listen to Gypsy Swing enough.

  • author: Ron Weiler

    There best CD so far. Ideal music for traveling or when you need a pick-me-up. Keep up the great work!

  • Great music
    author: Ken Sauvage

    One of those absolute must have CDs if you like Django, European Jazz or traditional American swing. Great acoustic music. Great musicians and wonderful arrangements. The musicians really work together. Especially like the mandolin and vocals.

  • this is the best HW cd yet
    author: frank forte

    Good tunes tight group original sound good recording.Acoustic swing jazz at its best

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