Search - Larry Clinton :: Shades of Hades

Part of a classic Larry Clinton Trilogy from Hep Records

R. Dixon | Arkansas USA | 06/24/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Larry Clinton got his start in the big bands as an ace arranger. His band put his arranging talents on display, and he ended up producing some of the finest middle-of-the-road big band music. This disc contains several of Clinton's finest arrangements. His most creative and enjoyable instrumental arrangement is here. The song "The Campbells are Swinging" is a swing treatment of the old traditional song The Campbells Are Coming, and the Clinton band is "in the pocket" on this performance. My other personal favorite was a big chart hit for Larry Clinton, the song "I Double Dare You," features a top notch vocal by Clinton vocalist Bea Wain. Bea was a really good band singer, and you get several of her nicer performances on this disc. The Clinton band always had a solid rhythmic feel, and the music on this disc showcases that feature along with Clinton's fine arrangements. There are two other Clinton discs in the Hep series (Studies in Clinton, and Feeling Like A Dream), and all three are worth having. This was a solid Swing Era band that has been forgotten over the years in favor of the bigger bands that had stronger soloists (Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, and Charlie Barnet), and that were bigger pop successes (all of the above, and add Glenn Miller). However, if you like the big band era swing and pop, then you will almost certainly like the Larry Clinton band."