DAVID'S SECOND SWING SESSIONS ALBUM IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE
Michael Sassella | CANBERRA, Australian Capital Territory, Australia | 11/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great album. My thoughts track by track are:
TRACK 1: WITCHCRAFT. A perfect opener, I think. Very different from
"You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You", opener on the last album. It
is sinuous, intimate and a lovely delivery of a truly beautiful song.
The orchestration shows the band in superb form and sets us
up for an album that would be worth listening to for the orchestra
alone. Of course, having David along only adds to the pleasure. This
is big band music at its finest.
TRACK 2: PERHAPS, PERHAPS, PERHAPS. A wonderful song about sexual
tension delivered perfectly by David. The drums and percussion
generally are notable. These first two tracks are really quite sexy.
TRACK 3: LAZY RIVER. This starts off with a bass line that
suggests it may be "Mack The Knife" Mark 2 (from the last album), but it isn't. It is a performance that lends a lustre to this well worn song and the delivery is reminiscent of Sammy Davis Jnr. A fine track. This is
where a few general impressions of this fine album begin to crystallise.
On this album David, the music director and all of the players seem more
confident and relaxed than on the first SWING SESSIONS. While David
veered in that album from a straight delivery of well chosen ballads
to his way of bringing a rock 'n' roll sensibility to the American
classics, this album seems to be about David's jazz leanings and is
all the more sophisticated because of it.
TRACK 4: ROUTE 66. David's very jazzy take on this great song owes
nothing to the Nat King Cole original. Whereas Nat King Cole went for
a cool and ingratiating delivery David spices it up with scat,
dominant brass licks and an approach to the song that emphasises the
lyrics more than the underlying tune. At first a bit offputting, this
is a grower that sounds better and reveals its complexity with
repeated listens.
TRACK 5: I'VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU. One of the few out and out ballads
on this album, this gorgeous song receives a straight treatment and is
an object lesson in vocal storytelling.
TRACK 6: DANKE SCHOEN. The well remembered super hit for Wayne Newton
from 1963. David's delivery actually owes a lot to Wayne Newton. I
expect this is a song that can be sung in only one way. The approach
is restrained at first but becomes more insistent and exciting as it
progresses. There is a great time with the orchestra on this
one but probably one of the lesser tracks overall.
TRACK 7: JUST A GIGOLO/I AIN'T GOT NOBODY. A show closer and
showstopper that David has sung a lot in performances over the past
year in Australia, this is a terrific fun track. It's long and a bit repetitive but never wears out its welcome. No wonder he has been using this song to promote the album on TV.
TRACK 8: BEGIN THE BEGUINE. A decostructed version of the Cole
Porter classic that David has been presenting since last December in concerts backed only by Joe Acuria's skilful percussion. This brings a
freshness and renewed meaning to a song that can be underappreciated
because of its familiarity.
TRACK 9: THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC. A trick opening leads to a mid-tempo
workout where David starts off in a comfortable tempo. However, as
the track progresses the approach is brassy and the interpretation
gets deeper. A key track, I think.
TRACK 10: SUMMER WIND. Lovely woodwinds, strings and a delightfully
light touch to the percussion helps with a version of the Frank
Sinatra classic that David makes totally his own. He has his own take
on a classic.
TRACK 11: THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU. Yet another magnificent
ballad delivered sensitively, the seldom heard intro is a plus. The
strings feel lush and provide terrific upholstery for David's vocals.
The interpretation is direct and clear and comes across in a
successful waltz tempo. There are impressive solos here on the piano
and sax.
TRACK 12: THAT'S LIFE. Another Sinatra hit given a fresh treatment by
David. This demonstrates David's interpretative skills and it is a
gutsy performance with a welcome touch of the rock 'n' roll
background. I liked the background voices here. They were full
blooded, along the lines of the Raelettes who used to back Ray Charles.
TRACK 13: ONE FOR MY BABY. Another absolute classic David seems to do
in every show, this features a beautifully rich and mellow solo piano
and is stunningly well recorded. David gives a spot on interpretation
using his lower register with an occasional move into higher key. A
very effective and atmospheric cut.
TRACK 14: KING OF THE ROAD. The old Roger Miller classic is a strange
choice in this company and certainly a change of pace from "One For My
Baby". But this works a treat. It has hints of New Orleans jazz, can
be seen as a joke song but then David delivers some lovely vocal work
with, again, real interpretative skill, and the party is given some
balance. A good finale.
I think this is a great album. It is excellent that it has an
identity quite separate from the first album. Sequels can be
problematic with the follow up replicating closely what went before.
That has not occurred here. I can't wait for Volume 3.
I hope we don't see a repeat of 1997-1998 when David released
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE and TAKING THE WHEEL in two consecutive years only
to then go for eight years before his next solo effort.
"
Amazing Abum!
Robert W. Epler | Ozark, MO | 11/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is so good. Did I say good? I mean Great, or Fantastic! I was so happy when I got this in the mail, I put it on the CD player and loved every song on it. There is not one bad song on the whole thing! I loved David's first Swing Sessions very much, but there was one song I disliked (Mr. Bojangles). This CD is all great songs sang awesomely. The most swinging song on the album is Route 66, it's great! There is also That old black Magic (sang almost just like Sammy Davis Jr. which is great), Lazy River (awesome), Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody (super swinging!), and That's Life (great). There are some really great ballads too like I've Got A Crush On You which is so good. David does the intro part too which is a nice treat. There is also There Will Never Be Another You (This song also has a rarely heard intro part, This song is very nice), and One For My Baby (the last ballad on the album, it's a great song). Some songs are in between swinging and ballad, like Summerwind (Very good, I love it), Danke Schoen (this song is done very well, I like it a lot) Begin The Beguine (I love the drums on this one, awesome) Witchcraft (the opening song, and one of my favorites from the CD), and Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (This song is very great). The last song is King of the Road Which sounds like New Orleans Jazz, it's awesome.
This album is one of my favorite albums ever. I highly reccomend it. I wish David Campbell would toar in America, that's where I live. I would love to see his show."
