On the plus side of the recent ska explosion is the happy fact that it has revived the horn section, which was discarded from rock music roughly about the time that Nirvana, et. al. hit the rock scene full force. For those hooked on horns, it's really not that far a stretch from the peppy horn sections of ska to the smoother horns of swing - whether classic swing (e.g. Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, etc.) or modern swing (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy or Cherry Poppin' Daddies). Perhaps even more than the in the secular scene, it seems logical that this progression from ska to swing has hit the Christian pop music circles.
What is surprising is how it's happened. The first Christian swing I have encountered is The Swing Set, which amounts to a compilation of tracks from Ralph Carmichael's albums. If I had been told five years ago that I would be listening to Ralph Carmichael and enjoying it, something to the effect of: "You're out of your tree," would have been my reply. Yet here I am, swinging to remakes of such classics as "Abide With Me," "Let Us Break Bread Together," and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee," to name just a few.
The performers on this album were, by and large, around at the onset of swing music's popularity. For me, this is one of the facts that make this album worth listening to. As a trombonist myself, with some "big band" experience, the depth of talent and feel that those who have played this music for a long time possess never ceases to amaze me. Their playing becomes instinctual.
Perhaps the only criticism of The Swing Set is its production sounds rather dated. The album has some really lame synth piano in spots and overall the sound is a bit too polished. While swing music in general is one of the more polished music forms, if it's too polished, it loses some of its authenticity. Again, this is my experience, both from playing this style and from listening to it. Swing music was meant to be danced to, and if the band is too polished, the music won't allow the spontaneity of this sort of dance expression.
However, if you're into swing, or you're craving some pretty happening horn solos, you could do far worse than The Swing Set. In fact, if you give this project a spin when you want something a spot more peppy than the usual praise and worship music, you should be pleased.
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #76Reviewed by Doug Van PeltMy old school readers would have died if they'd seen me reviewing this project ten years ago. But "old school" in this example would really be classified as "young'ns," because the creators of this collection are as older (and older) than our parents! That's right, Ralph Carmichael, that guy in the red polyester suit and white hair is finding his music being grabbed up by teenagers in search of…
