Search - Randy Sandke :: Randy Sandke Meets Bix Beiderbecke

Fresh performances of Bix classics

"Gimpy" Peach Johnson | 02/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Randy Sandke and his band give new life to these Bix classics, faithfully recreating the spirit (and occasionally the solos) of the original recordings in crisp, modern sound. This CD is essentially a recorded live concert, given in Hamburg, Germany on May 1, 1993. Sandke provides short spoken intros to each piece, and audience applause is audible at the ends of tracks, but don't let that deter you from buying this CD. The music is top-notch! Sandke brilliantly recreates many of Bix's famous solos, adding his own little twists along the way. Other instrumentalists seem to be given more room to improvise freely on solos. Marty Grosz contributes contributes some fine guitar playing and a particularly interesting solo version of "Changes," but his terrible vocal on "I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure" (complete with hokey "daddy-daddy-daaa" ending) nearly ruins the piece. Fortunately, Sandke's stirring original cornet solo saves it. The musicians here work together very well. The elecrified bass gives some of the pieces a slightly more contemporary feel, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. As a big-time "Bix fan," I enjoyed this CD tremendously. Since I bought it a couple months ago, I've played it dozens of times. It makes for particularly stimulating drive-time music in my car! Sandke strikes a nice balance of old and new, remaining respectful of the original Bix records, while allowing his musicians room for somewhat more personal expression that keep the performances from being stale straight-ahead recreations of records already made. The rousing take on Goldkette's famous "My Pretty Girl" alone is worth the price of the disc. Highly recommended!"