Search - Gene Mitchell and The Big Coconut Band (featuring John Raymond and Amy Lee) :: Tropical Jazz

Tropical Jazz is the third CD by singer/songwriter Gene Mitchell who is known for writing tropical music with nautical themes. This time Gene has written and produced a collection of songs for his Big Coconut Band and features Amy Lee (guitarist for Jimmy Buffett) and John Raymond (guitarist for Kenny G). This combination of writing and great talent defines a new genre ofmusic, tropical jazz. However, Gene never lets each song on his CDs sound like the previous song. Though the collection lives up to its title, Tropical Jazz, the songs are varied in themes and styles to make every song a new experience. Track 1, By The Beach, is a blues/jazz tune featuring great guitar leads by John, great sax by Amy, and even steel drums by Gary Gibson. Fun lyrics that gives us some insight into Gene's background. Track 2, Da Way She Move (the tropical version) is a soft jazzy reagge love song and features John on classical guitar. Track 3, Summer's back, is jazzy swing and is upbeat and welcomes summer back with clever lyrics and great guitar riffs by John. Track 4, Tropical Express, fast upbeat jazz song full of steel drums and bright saxophone. The lyrics describe the adventures of a road trip down the A-1-A in a convertable to Key West and a party of Duval street. Very fun descriptive lyrics, a Parrot Head's dream song. Track 5, Love In The Early Stages, upbeat jazz love song with a great story line and great jazz guitar playing by John. Track 6, Cold Seattle Night, proves that singer/songwriters are influenced by their surroundings. Slow bluesy jazz with great guitar and sax and, as with all Gene's lyrics, paints a great picture of the cold rainy nights in Seattle. Track 7, I'm Right Here, picks the tempo up again with an upbeat reagge song featuring steel drums and sax. Again, great lyrics that paint a picture all can see and relate to. Track 8, Sweetest Smile, ah..smooth jazz at its best, wonderful love song with powerful lyrics and great sax playing by Amy throughout. Track 9, Sailing Back Home To You, is a soft love song with classical guitar and steel drums and descriptive lyrics of someone longing for their love back home. (This one is bound to become a favorite of anyone who has sailed the seas). Track 10, Going Back To Georgia, is upbeat and has a bit of Alman Brothers while John's guitar playing adds a touch of jazz. (All Georgians, pay attention to this one). Great lyrics dscribe life in the south and the longing to return home. Track 11, The Way She Moves, jazz version, is a different version of Track 2 and is upbeat and has the flavor of George Benson. John's guitar playing and the vocal arrangements make this a wonderful upbeat jazz love song. Track 12, Tribal Revival, is a very cleverly written upbeat calypso song and features Amy on sax and Gary on steel drums. The song tells the story of a missionary long ago who, when the natives start dancing around the bonfire, writes back home that there was a tribal revival, but we soon discover it was only a conga line. Track 13, Conga Line, is an instrumental that is actually a part of Tribal Revival, here we hear the percussion of the natives, followed by great sax playing and a finale of percussion, bass riffs, guitars, steel drums and sax whaling as the "conga line" progresses. A definite party and dance song.