Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook: Quotes

Quotes

QUOTES FROM THE 2004-2005 SEASON

"Terry, thank you for the great job you, Mark & Allan did at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. All of your performances during the four days of the festival were enthusiastically received by the audiences. In particular, we received many positive comments regarding "Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook." It is definitely a 'keeper'. We look forward to you being back with us again next year for the 2006 Sacramento Jazz Jubilee."

Roger Krum, Executive Director
Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, Sacramento, CA

"These three artists have worked together as a trio for a number of years, and this shows in their rapport. There is a tough edge to Blaine's voice, as there is to Vaché's instrumental tone, and these qualities enhance the overall sound of the group by steering it away from the blandness that is these days enveloping the world of jazz singing (and playing). Smooth jazz this isn't, but it is fluid and swinging, and to a great extent this latter characteristic stems from Shane, whose skill and strength of purpose is such that the usual bass and drums support one has grown to expect in small jazz groups is never missed. Important to the proceedings is the fact that this is very much an ensemble presentation; the three taking equal weight and credit. Were comparisons to be made, the strengths of Blaine's voice are such that she is by no means shaded by her predecessors."

Bruce Crowther
Jazz Journal International
London, UK

"If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Terry Blaine, Mark Shane and Allan Vaché perform Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook, you've missed out on one of the most delicious jazz trios to appear in a long, long time. Allan Vaché provides the meat of the musical sandwich: a hard-swinging clarinet that combines boundless energy with exquisite grace. Goodman himself would have been hard pressed to match him. Mark Shane's piano work is dazzling in its own right, but also serves as the bread (and a flavorful bread it is) that holds this triple-decker together. And it is Terry Blaine whose inimitably evocative voice and naughty-but-nice delivery provides the tangy 'special sauce' which brings out all of the sweetness and spice of the songs. Catch their performance once and you'll be back for seconds. And thirds."

John Segers
WUCF-FM, Orlando, FL

"Terry Blaine has a voice like velvet and is a pleasure to listen to. "Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook" presents a very intimate, audience-friendly show that makes everyone feel good. Not only is Terry great, but each member of her group is an amazing musician in his own right. You feel like you've gotten four fantastic solo performers in addition to an ensemble!"

Lezlie Porter, President
Washoe County Concert Assn., Reno, NV

"Thank you for sending "Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook". I have enjoyed it and have received enthusiastic feedback from the listeners to my program, Big Band Sunday Night. Our AM station, at 740 on the radio dial, has one of the largest footprints in North America, broadcasting out of Toronto. Terry, Mark and Allan seem very committed to a most worthwhile project."

George Jonescu
BBSN, AM 740
Barrie, Ontario, Canada

"Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook was one of the most popular shows in our JazzFest At Sea. With Terry's amazing vocals, Mark's superlative piano playing and Allan's perfectionism as a clarinetist, you can't go wrong! I would recommend this trio to any venue wishing a show-stopping performance."

Bret E. Bradford, Director of Operations
Cruise & Vacation Depot, Maitland, FL
Sponsors of JazzFest at Sea

"What can I say....Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook is a marvelous recording with Terry, Mark and Allan. There are so many great tracks with which to choose from. We plan on giving it some extensive airplay here at WAER starting this week. Thanks again for sending us a copy."

Eric Cohen
WAER Jazz Radio, Syracuse, NY

"Ms. Blaine was accompanied by the most amazing quartet this writer has heard in many, many years. Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook gave us a concert to remember, one of the very best we have ever had. If I've used many superlatives, it's because they were positively in order!!"

Joe Schoen, Sun Lakes Life
"Benny Goodman Swings Into The Friendship Club"
Banning, CA

"Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook" is on our June playlist. We'll be playing it throughout the summer. It's a great tribute to BG without slavish imitation."

Bob Snyder
WRST Jazz Radio, Oshkosh, WI

"Blaine's style reflects divine possession rather than calculated emulation of the legendary ladies who inspired her act. Shane swings and strides with ticklish fluency. His ever-ebullient, less-is-more approach encompasses the ivory influences of Fats Waller, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Art Tatum, and James P. Johnson. Then there's Vaché, who will never have to relive earthly life because he's found his bliss this time around & makes it contagious to us all."

Kitty Montgomery
The Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY

"We'll be adding 7 tracks from "Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook" for airplay in a variety of our formats. This is an excellent CD! I'm sure we'll be adding more tracks in the future on Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, covering NE Atlanta and North Georgia."

J. Scott Fugate, Program Dir., Music Dir.
Eclectic 89.1, WBCX
Brenau University, Gainesville, GA

"I just want to tell you how very special it was to have you at our Cabaret Jazz event. You had the audience absolutely mesmerized, and, needless to say, the comments I received are universally positive."

Marty Rosenzwieg, Producer
Cabaret Jazz Series
Norris Center for the Performing Arts
Rolling Hills Estates, CA

"Talk about instant gratification!! Every time we play Terry Blaine, the phones light up! Terry's fresh approach and unique style keep these great songs alive and kicking!"

Bick Smith, Host
KLBB Radio
St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN

"To describe the concert performers as headliners is not a casual description. Beginning with Terry Blaine, who held the audience in the palm of her hand as she delivered song after song, seemingly, thoroughly enjoying herself. Do not overlook Mark Shane as a sensational soloist on all sides of jazz and a nifty arranger, adding another dimension to the performance. Allan Vaché's fingers flying up and down the clarinet is in deep contrast to his placid countenance...the man is a phenomenon, and I sometimes wonder if he doesn't out-do Benny Goodman."

Bernard Lightman
Swing & Jazz Preservation Society
Boca Raton, FL

"Last year I discovered jazz singer Terry Blaine and raved about her in this column. I finally had a chance to see her live in New York in January, and hear selections from her new album Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook. It is every bit as good as the others. Since the clarinet is the backbone of the Goodman repertoire, the clarinet player better be good, and for this album, Allan Vaché definitely fills the bill. The disc is packed with 17 tracks, giving Blaine, Vaché and Mark Shane on piano a chance to share their musical talents."

Steve Ramm
In the Groove
Philadelphia, PA

"Vocalist Terry Blaine, clarinetist Allan Vaché and pianist Mark Shane are Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook with aplomb and style on this self-titled CD. Despite the fact that this is a trio performance as opposed to a performance by a full-on swing orchestra, these three artists ably reach that pinnacle of excitement that Goodman used to arouse his audience and the lindy-hoppers of his generation. Jazz vocalist Terry Blaine interprets such great Goodman hits as 'Miss Brown to You' and 'Would You Like to Take a Walk' with crisp tones and vibrant pitch. Both Vaché and Shane back her buoyant improvisations with the perfect balance of playfulness and musicality. Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook is the classic example of what great jazz standards can be again when performed in the right updated format. This rich period in classic jazz history - The Swing Era - gets its rightful share of recognition in a day and age of technical downloads and sixty second samples. Buy the full version now from the SOTJ store and realize what you've been missing!"

Paula Edelstein
Sounds of Timeless Jazz

"They accepted a difficult date - a weeknight between Christmas and New Years - drew a decent crowd anyway and sent them home happy. That's because Swingin' the Benny Goodman Songbook presented a comprehensive package with well-delivered vocals and top musicianship. Of course, the engaging Goodman material didn't hurt!"

Bruce Gast
The Bickford Theater
Morristown, NJ

Other Quotes

"Though less pointedly erudite than (Michael) Feinstein, Terry Blaine has a seemingly similar desire to rescue vintage American songs from extinction. For nearly two decades she has, usually in the splendid company of pianist Mark Shane, been mining the songbooks of Fats Waller, Andy Razaf and such with impressive results. Her subtly risqué style is infectious, blending the white-glove nonchalance of Lee Wiley with the earthy sauciness of Ethel Waters."

Christopher Loudon
Jazz Times

"Blaine has loads of fun with Andy Razaf double-entendre numbers such as 'My Handy Man' before shifting into the easygoing lyricism of '100 Years From Today.' Blaine is a well-established interpreter of the music of the 20's and 30's, approaching numbers such as 'Am I Blue' and 'Jeepers Creepers' with great stylistic accuracy."

Don Heckman
Jazz SPOTLIGHT, The LA Times

"Terry Blaine and Mark Shane hit the mark, and they approach this music with honesty, integrity and love. Bravo!"

Jim Wilke
Jazz After Hours, PRI

"Thanks a million for providing me with a copy of that fine CD. It really swings."

Steve Allen

"Noting that the famed Ethel Waters would feel right at home at The Manor's cabaret, Le Dome, dynamic Terry Blaine proved that she too was right at home in the West Orange showplace during a fabulous hour-plus show. Backed by her long time accompanist, classic jazz pianist Mark Shane, the talented Blaine provided an enthusiastic audience with an array of great songs, ranging from Harold Arlen's Stormy Weather to St. Louis Blues and more."

Kappy Kapner
Suburban News

"Terry makes her connection with the ease of a seasoned veteran. Having virtually sung all of her life, she has immersed herself in the music of the 1930s, which has allowed her to captivate an entirely new generation of jazz aficionados. Hooking up with Mark Shane has allowed her to forge a balance between the old and the new. With sensitivity and conviction, the two of them have established themselves as the finest dynamic duo in jazz today."

Sheldon T. Nunn
Jazzreview.com

"Terry Blaine and Mark Shane are two musicians who are well versed in the nuances of classic jazz, and they feed off of one another in this inspired duo session."

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

"My husband and I shared one of the loveliest evenings we have experienced in a long time listening to the four of you. I loved the repertoire... songs we know and love and some we should get to know because we loved the way you did them! I hope you are able to return. I am quite sure all who experienced your sweet, delicate magic will also return and bring friends."

Linda Yohn
WEMU Music Director

Bernard Lightman
Swing & Jazz Preservation Society
Boca Raton, FL

"Blaine and Shane were remarkably adept as they worked together, and they proceeded to entertain with some of the finest jazz music from the 1920s and 1930s."

Bea Smith
Essex Journal

"Blaine's lush and powerfully expressive voice, plus Mark Shane's impeccable piano accompaniment offer the ultimate in listening pleasure."

Marvin Randolph
Sun-Sentinel "Musical Memories"
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

"Lonesome Swallow has a nice balance of ballads and playful tunes. My Handy Man is red hot. Obviously, Sophie Tucker was not the LAST of the red hot mamas!"

Tim McKay
KGVY AM 1080
Green Valley, AZ

"Blaine's sense of time and phrasing is blessed with both purity and a knowing reverence to the past... Mark Shane's resilient piano accompaniment frames Blaine with an infectious barroom bounce. Blaine and Shane quite simply put listeners into a time machine, to propel them into an innocent long ago world, when hip swinging and foot tapping were the comfortable order of the day, and where melodic content really mattered."

Robert L. Daniels
Variety

"Terry Blaine, who loves singing standards of the 1920s and 30s, has a haunting voice that is a bit husky and quite expressive. She always swings (even at slower tempos), puts a lot of meaning into the lyrics she interprets and improvises in subtle ways."

Scott Yanow
LA Jazz Scene

"It's hard to imagine any two performers who can handle this material better than these two."

Dave Nathan
All About Jazz