The Ghost Train Orchestra takes you back to the day when jazz mixed with quirky classical sounds to add sophistication to swing. Composers like Carl Stallings, Raymond Scott and Alec Wilder made music suitable for parlors or Saturday morning cartoons, while Spike Jones turned the sounds into theatre. Lead by trumpeter and arranger Brian Carpenter, the 12+ team also includes both adult and children’s choirs, making for cerebral celebrations.Carpenter himself gives vocal intros to a number of the pieces, setting the tone for Reginald Foresyth’s 2 Part “A Hymn to Darkness” while a handful of Wilder tunes include Pete Pumiglio-style clarinet by Dennis Lichtman and reed raptures by Ben Kono and Petr Cancura during “Walking Home In Spring” and “Kindergarten Flower Pageant” while the strings give the whole atmosphere a chamber mood. There’s enough soloing to keep you loose, while the quirky arrangements make you wonder how they pull it off in concert. I’d sure like to find out. Any So Cal gigs coming up?