The Swingin' Swamis
Sookie! Sookie!
© 2005 Snackie Hillman & Lube Records (613285941120)
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The Swingin' Swamis perform an eclectic set of jazz and world rhythms. From 1930's jazz to 1970's funk and everything in between.
tracks
- 1 Down For The Count (Snackie Hillman)
- 2 Night Train (Jimmy Forrest)
- 3 Keep An Eye On Love (Ernestine Anderson)
- 4 Fried Neckbones & Some Home Fries (Willie Bobo, Machito, The Swi
- 5 Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (Osvaldo Farres and Joe Davis)
- 6 Chica Chica Boom Chic (Harry Warren)
- 7 Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock)
- 8 Black Coffee (Paul Francis Webster & Sonny Burke)
- 9 Sookie Sookie (Grant Green)
- 10 Its Your Thing (The Isley Brothers)
- 11 Cleos Mood (Junior Walker)
- 12 Shake & Bake by Snackie Hillman
- 13 Drivin Round The Block (Dickie Harrell)
- 14 Come On A My House ( Saroyan and Ross Bagdasarian)
- 15 Soft Sounds (Henry Mancini)
- 16 Peter Gunn (Henry Mancini)
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The Swingin' Swamis perform an eclectic set of jazz and world rhythms. From 1930's jazz to 1970's funk and everything in between. It is the band's goal to introduce to listeners a wide variety of popular as well as lesser known music.
Their roster currently includes: Snackie Hillman (keyboard, guitar, and vocals), Eddie Chabot (bass, vocals), Zak Fusciello (drums), John Dierker (tenor sax, clarinet), Chris Bavaria (guitar, vocals), Melissa Sharlat (vocals)
Discography includes: The Swingin' Swamis (our debut CD recorded at Baltimore's ACR studios and released in April 2001) and Songs & Other Misdemeanors (12 original songs recorded at Baltimore's ACR studios and released in February 2003), and Sookie! Sookie! (16 Songs featuring the debut of Melissa Sharlat and released in March 2005)
Album Reviews:
From: Baltimore Magazine (June 2005 Issue)
It takes a band of swaggering retro geeks with exquisite taste and chops to cover Junior Walker's "Cleo's Mood," Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island," and Henry Mancini's "Soft Sounds" on the same disc. Baltimore's mighty Swingin' Swamis do just that on their new disc, Sookie! Sookie! An infectious groove cut by keyboardist Snackie Hillman, drummer Zak Fusciello, and saxophonist John Dierker anchors most of the material, and singer Melissa Sharlat adds a carefree sophistication to tunes such as "Keep an Eye on Love" and "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps." A pair of snappy originals by Hillman ("Down for the Count" and "Shake & Bake") add to the fun, and help make the disc an appropriate soundtrack for both afternoon barbecues and late-night cocktail sessions.
By John Lewis
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From: The Baltimore City Paper/No Cover (March 23, 2005 - Vol. 29, Issue 12)
Lyricist Lounge: The Local Cocktail-Hour Highballs of the Swingin' Swamis Add a Female Singer and Keep the Vibe Chilled. By Ryan Boddy.
The Baltimore sextet unveils Sookie Sookie, its third CD of eclectic classics and originals, this week. Ranging from mellow lounge standards to Isley Brothers funk and originals penned by founding keyboardist/guitarist Snackie Hillman, Sookie displays the Swamis' talent for seamlessly mixing genres as well as showcasing new vocalist Melissa Sharlat on many of its 16 tracks.
Cuts from the band's new album point to its members' familiarity with multiple styles. John Dierker's manic sax marks the opening strains of the record in the Hillman-penned "Down for the Count" and swiftly gives way to guitarist Chris Bavaria's adroit finger-picking. All of Sookie's songs display improvisation in all the right places, with Dierker pressing his case most effectively on the Jimmy Forrest classic "Night Train." Sharlat's sultry vocals spice up the group's lounge chameleon appeal. Latin grooves one minute give way to Rat Pack cool seconds later.
In fact, Sookie Sookie achieves what most cover-heavy albums can't: sounding fresh and true to the originals without sounding like a high-school dance in the process. There's just enough bawdiness in Dierker's sax work and Sharlat's singing to avoid the saccharine, cut with enough restraint to keep the vibe from feeling cheeky and contrived. Hillman's focus on the more burlesque side of 1950s, '60s, and early '70s keeps the mood randy, with Bavaria's nimble guitar and Chabot and drummer Zak Fusciello's rhythm section setting a laid-back ease befitting the material.
The classic tunes are all familiar to the ear, and Hillman's originals feel comfortable next to them. The band presently creates set lists from about 125 songs, its ear for a timeless tune near flawless. "We bring songs to the table democratically just to keep from playing songs that some of us hate individually," Chabot says.
And the band culls through this motley mix of songs without stretching themselves thin in the process. Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island meets Henry Mancini and Doris Day effortlessly, and while listening you never feel jostled by the gear change.
---------------- From: The Chesapeake Music Guide (August 2005 Issue)
Have you heard? Reviewed by Michael Macey.
Review for "Sookie! Sookie!"
Any band that covers Henry Mancini is all right by me. Personally I can't have to many versions of Peter Gunn in my collection, so The Swingin' Swamis are ok in my book. Actually they cover more than one of my favorites, and they do it with a finesse that shows a real love and respect for the tunes they've chosen to include on Sookie, Sookie. Artists represented include The Isley Brothers with Its Your Thing, Junior Walker's Cleo's Mood and Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island. In addition, Swingin' Swamis Snackie Hillman provides two tunes, Down For The Count and Shake And Bake, that blend perfectly with the sound and feel of the rest of Sookie, Sookie. The former is a swing/jazz piece that kicks off the record and sets the mood, while the latter is a bouncy number that features some great sax work from John Dierker. Both songs are instrumental and give the members a chance to show their chops. This is a big-time party record that will most certainly get your guests moving. If it doesn't, then chances are they don't have a pulse or you need a new set of friends. Who couldn't move to Night Train or Come On A My House, with the sexy, sultry and soulful voice of singer Melissa Sharlat? Its darn near impossible not to. Another thing I like about Sookie, Sookie is that it helps to get some excellent music re-heard and possibly introduced to an audience that's not familiar with it. With that comes the prospect of uncovering more material from the artists whose work might interest you. It's always a win-win situation. If you're into timeless tunes, modern classics and good time music in general, Sookie, Sookie from The Swingin' Swamis will certainly float your boat. If you're not and want to be, this might be the CD to start with. Everything in one convenient package and ready to party.