JOEY DeFRANCESCO - Singin' And Swingin' (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Joey DeFrancesco the jazz organist meets Joey DeFrancesco the Sinatra-style crooner on this, his first vocal outing. The album is rich in contrasts: eight of the 13 cuts feature a big band, with the likes of bassist Ray Brown, tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, and more; the rest are trio pieces featuring the leader, Paul Bollenback, on guitar and Byron Landham on drums. Vocally, DeFrancesco pours it on with beaucoup reverb (producer John Burk and engineer Bernie Kirsh could have backed off a bit), handling swingers like "Mack the Knife" and ballads like "They Say It's Wonderful" with equal poise and conviction. His organ is present on many of the vocal tracks, but it moves to the fore on the three instrumental originals: "Mr. Dennis Houlihan," a fast rhythm changes tune; "Did You Hear Him Holler," a tongue-in-cheek Cajun groove; and "The Sidewalk Is Wild," a sly big band shuffle that features the leader briefly on trumpet. DeFrancesco also gives his voice a rest on the swing classic "One Mint Julep," the penultimate "Danny Boy," done as a powerful trio ballad, and the closing standard, "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." DeFrancesco's vocal affect is quite similar to Sinatra's, especially on songs closely associated with him, like "In the Wee Small Hours," one of the all-around best selections. Some won't be able to get past the hammy aspect of the album, but the fact is that DeFrancesco really can sing, and "if you've got it, flaunt it" is a worthy credo for any performer. You've got to applaud him for taking the plunge. by David R. Adler  
Tracklist :
1     You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 3'43
Cole Porter
2     Mr. Dennis Houlihan 3'52
Joey DeFrancesco
3     They Say It's Wonderful 4'35
Irving Berlin
4     Did You Hear Him Holler? 4'41
Joey DeFrancesco
5     Mack the Knife 3'29
Marc Blitzstein / Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill
6     One Mint Julep 5'12
Rudy Toombs
7     In the Wee Small Hours 5'28
Bob Hilliard / David Mann
8     I Thought About You 3'38
James Van Heusen / Johnny Mercer
9     The Sidewalk Is Wild 6'03
Joey DeFrancesco
10     Let Me Love You Tonight 3'30
Mitchell Parish / René Touzet
11     Kansas City 3'43
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
12     Danny Boy 6'17
Frederick Edward Weatherly
13     I'm Getting Sentimental over You 627
George Bassman / Ned Washington
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Don Shelton (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Sal Lozano (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Arranged By [Big Band] – Horace Ott
Arranged By [Trio] – Joey DeFrancesco
Baritone Saxophone – Jack Nimitz (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Bass – Ray Brown (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Cello – Armen Ksajikian (pistas: 1, 3), Vage Ayrikyan (pistas: 1, 3)
Contractor – Frank Capp
Drums – Byron "Wookie" Landham
Guitar – Paul "Dukie" Bollenback
Organ [Hammond B-3], Vocals, Trumpet – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone – Peter Christlieb (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Rickey D. Woodard (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Trombone – Andy Martin (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Bob McChesney (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), George Bohanon (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Mike Millar (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Trumpet – Carl Saunders (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Conte Candoli (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Frank Szabo (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11), Wayne J. Bergeron (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 to 11)
Viola – Harry H. Shirinian (pistas: 1, 3), Jorge Moraga (pistas: 1, 3)
Violin – Darius Campo (pistas: 1, 3), Debbie Price (pistas: 1, 3), Gil Romero (pistas: 1, 3), Horia Moroaica (pistas: 1, 3), Patricia Johnson (pistas: 1, 3), Rachel Purkin (pistas: 1, 3), Russ Cantor (pistas: 1, 3)
Violin, Concertmaster – Bruce Dukov (pistas: 1, 3)