Mike Breen - Cincinnati City Beat
Swing music may have "died" in the eyes of the trend watchers (R.I.P. neo-swingers Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, et.al.) but classic musical styles like Big Band music are timeless, and there's still plenty of good Swing music right in our own backyard.
Case in point: the new disc from vocalist Liz Antony and the Jerry Conrad Orchestra titled No Moon At All. With exquisite performances turned in by the Orchestra (consisting of local Jazz favorites and members of the Blue Wisp Big Band and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra) and especially Liz Antony, the disc is a sublime mix of sophistication and energy, blending ballad standards with jumpin' favorites.
The disc is unique in that it presents original arrangements written specifically for the performers.
Les Reynolds - Indie-Music.com
Vocalist Liz Antony is a polished pro and "No Moon at All" is a great showcase for her vocal talents.
You don't even have to be a jazz/swing/orchestra/big band afficionado to enjoy this 10-song release from the Cincinnati-based performer(s) as Antony and Conrad & Co. offer up old standards and a few other tunes one after another in shining style.
"Boogie Blues" opens the set and it's perhaps the CD's best selection. It's a toe-tappin', finger-snappin' hip-shakin' number featuring horns, drums, 'boogie' piano, saxophone and Liz's sweet voice. Somewhere between soprano and alto, her vocals are well suited to this style of music: just cosmopolitan enough but warm and friendly with a hint of a Southern drawl.
The next two tunes have her vocals taken down a bit on the more sultry and slower cadences of "Old Devil Moon" and "Round About Midnight."
A couple of other highlights are her passionate and spirited rendition of "Mack the Knife," which also features good guitar and sax, and the snappy standard "Puttin' on the Ritz."
Overall, with the talented and well-executed orchestration, this CD is a must for jazz and big band fans and will likely win converts of new listeners.