Jazz and Big Band sounds from the Depression Era are faithfully presented by leader Glenn Crytzer, who sings, directs, and plays banjo or guitar with a two beat big band that reflects the vintage tones of Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie and Fletcher Henderson. Crytzer even faithfully creates the sound and fidelity of the original pieces, making you think you have a collection of RCA Blackbird 78s in your hands.
Crytzer is wise in mixing his own swinging originals into the mix, with his own “The 408 Special,” “Just Like a Broken Records” and ”The Ugly Duckling” swinging as hard as a night at the Roseland Ballroom. The reeds deliver some rich jungle sounds for the Ellingtonian “Black Beauty” and a wailing “The Mooche” while drummer Andrew Miller sizzles at the high hat on the Count Basie “Jive at Five.” Crytzer himself is deft at the guitar as he tops the hat to Charlie Christian on “Solo Flight” along with Matt Koza’s clarinet. Some fun campy vocals are delivered by the leader, Dandy Wellington and Hannah Gill on pieces like “I’m Nuts About Screwy Music” while the band shows it can bear down on flag wavers like “Traffic Jam.” It’s like going through your grandpa’s old attic and checking out his record collection, discovering that, hey, that old man could swing!