Terry Blaine in Concert was the result of our love affair with Cleveland, Ohio, which began in earnest after the DJs from WRMR radio, especially Bill Randle, started playing songs from Whose Honey Are You in early 1994. Audiences couldn’t get enough of “Louisiana Fairytale,” and “A Little Bit Independent,” which became the two most popular numbers, and wanted to see us in concert. So Bill talked to the station, and they set up not one but two dates for us in Cleveland; the first, in April, at the legendary Swingo’s Restaurant, which was completely sold out in no time. We had a great band, including Ohio native Ken Peplowski on clarinet and sax, and Ed Polcer on cornet. My husband and son came with me from New York, and I think that six-month-old Michael, who slept through the entire thing and woke up just as we were finishing, stole the show. So many friends and fans remember us walking through the crowd at the end, with this little baby in the carrier, tired but happy; we still talk about that night!
Six months later, Bill suggested we try a larger show, and why not record it and do a follow-up CD? Now I had never done a live show before, but decided to go for it. We had excellent help with the sound from Franklin Karkowski, who did the concert sound, and Tom Knab, who engineered the recording with my husband, Tom Desisto. I think we were somehow able to capture the absolutely electric atmosphere from that night on Terry Blaine in Concert. Again, we had a splendid band that featured Ed Polcer and Allan Vaché, and the Masonic Auditorium, with 2000 seats, was nearly full. After the show, John Bitter wrote a wonderful piece about us called “Cleveland’s Louisiana Fairytale” that appeared in The Mississippi Rag, along with some great pictures of both our Cleveland shows. And it did feel kind of like that, almost magical, that we could touch an entire city that way. Even to this day, our love affair with Cleveland goes on!
“What makes Blaine unique and important is her blending of the songs and insights of Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Mildred Bailey and Lee Wiley (to name a few) with the cutting edge of Patsy Cline. The result is a powerful and rich new synthesis of ‘then and now’.”
— Bill Randle, WRMR Radio, Cleveland, OH
TRACKS:
Eeny Meeny Miney Mo
A Little Bit Independent
Them There Eyes
Take Me For a Buggy Ride
Guess Who’s In Town
Yankee Doodle Never Went to Town
When Day is Done
Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now
I’d Love To Take Orders From You
Carolina Shout
Baby Brown (That Georgia Queen)
Medley: When a Woman Loves a Man/My Man
Runnin’ Wild
Louisiana Fairytale
Handful of Keys
Medley: Thanks a Million/Waiting at the End of the Road
Released December 1995 (Jukebox Jazz, JJZ-9502CD & CS)
Terry Blaine, Vocals
Mark Shane, Piano
David Lopez, Drums
Daryl Cornutt, Bass
Ed Polcer, Cornet
Allan Vaché, Clarinet
Recorded October 15 1994 at Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio
Produced by Tom Desisto
Associate Producer: Tom Knab
Executive Producers: Terry Blaine & Tom Desisto
Concert and Recording Sponsored by WRMR AM-850 and Bill Randle
Music Arranged by Mark Shane
Recording Engineer: Tom Knab
Concert Sound: Franklin Krakowski
Mastered at The Master Cutting Room, NYC by Dan Kinkaid
Additional mastering and assembly at Two Pie Are Music, NYC
Hair & Makeup: Cara Montana & Joyce Cohen/Stephen Knoll Salon
Cover Photo: Carol Grunebaum
Jukebox Jazz Logo: Lisa Maxwell
Art Direction: Charles Sands
Liner Notes: Bill Randle