REVIEWS

JAZZ MAN DRUMS UP HOSPICE CASH
By Emily Pearce - Friday, May 9, 2008
A CHARITY concert in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice has raised £2,500. Renowned jazz musician and record producer Arthor von Blomberg appeared at Medina Theatre on April 23 with his spectacular 16-piece swing band, the Gene Krupa Orchestra — so called in homage to the pioneering jazz drummer — and a host of internationally famed musicians, including saxophonist Richie Cole, big band singer Cassie Miller and Lee Thornburg, previously of Supertramp and Tower Of Power. Arthor, who first came to the Island several years ago as a guest of record producer Robert Stigwood, said: “We really wanted to give people a great show and we would love to do more things like this on the IW.”

Before the concert, Arthor and the other artistes hosted a workshop for talented young musicians. One lucky Cowes High School student, 16-year-old saxophonist Matthew Johnson, was then invited to appear on stage later that evening. Elaine Sheldrake, community arts co-ordinator at Medina High, said: “The workshop was an amazing opportunity for the students to jam with top class musicians and it was a real eye-opener for them. Along with Platform One and all the Battle Of The Bands competitions, the Island is becoming a great place for young musicians.”
Arthor added: “Around 60 students came to the workshop and the band played a couple of numbers before going round and working with them. They were very attentive and we were happy do it. There should be as many opportunities like this for young people as possible.” Karen Eeles, community fundraiser at the hospice, said: “The concert was really enjoyable and a very different way of fundraising for us. We plan to organise an opera concert with Arthor in June.”

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We were delighted to put on the Gene Krupa Story by Arthor von Blomberg's Gene Krupa Famous Swing Orchestra – the band and the music held the audience spellbound with powerful drumming by Arthor and fantastic vocals by Cassie Miller. Great music played with great humour!
Cole Mathieson, The Concorde Club
Southampton, UK

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Gary Tole & Legends of Swing One Kettle For Count (Summit) 2007

While trombonist Gary Tole clearly loves and respects the big-band legacy, he's not hung up on warmed-over nostalgia, which is why Tole and his Legends of Swing, in the words of Sammy Nestico, "blend the best traditions of yesteryear with the musical expertise of today." To put it another way, Tole honors the spirit of the big-band era but remodels the music via well-crafted charts by Scott Whitfield, Walt Stuart, Kim Richmond, Alan Glasscock and others. The upshot is a perky studio session that is not only musically productive but swings earnestly and often.

Speaking of Nestico, Whitfield's breezy opener, "One Kettle For Count," sounds much like something Basie's former right-hand man might have written. Whitfield arranged Tole's clever "Pick Up The Pieces" (based on "Sing Sing Sing" and "Big Noise From Winnetka"), "Baby It's Cold Outside" for vocalists Cassie Miller and Mike Costley, and "teams" with Eddie Sauter on "That Did It Marie," using Sauter's chart from 1941 on the first half (with Miller subbing for Peggy Lee) and his own score on the second. Miller is also heard on "Happy Together" and Richmond's arrangement of "Love For Sale," Costley on "With A Little Help from My Friends." Stuart arranged "American Bandstand Boogie," Glasscock "Flyin' Home" to augment classic charts by Duke Ellington, Billy Byers, Johnny Keating and Ernie Wilkins.
The ensemble is tight, the rhythm section robust, the soloists engaging. Don Shelton (clarinet, alto sax), tenor Glenn Morrissette, guitarist Mike Higgins, pianist Bob Remstein and trumpeter Tom Marino are the "frequent flyers." Tole solos on "Someone To Watch" and "I'll Never Smile Again," Whitfield (muted) on "C-Jam Blues." A happy listening experience that smartly combines ingenuity and fun.

Jack Bowers
Jazz Writer
All About Jazz
October 17, 2007

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Gary Tole and Legends of Swing is dedicated to bringing new life to big band classics from the swing era decades back. Shining up these jazz gems, Tole leads a solid band composed of fine Los Angeles musicians in the new CD One Kettle For Count.

The disc is off to a successful start, having garnered three Grammy Award nominations–-Best Big Band Album, Best Instrumental Composition and Best Instrumental Arrangements Accompanying Vocalists. Most numbers pay homage to the Basie sound; as well, there are salutes to Goodman, Dorsey and Ellington.

First up, the title tune, composed by Scott Whitfield, begins with Bob Remstein “tickling the ivories” Basie style, leading into the silky smooth sound patented by the Count. Next, on Tole’s “Pick up the Pieces,” the band updates the Gene Krupa-Benny Goodman “Sing, Sing, Sing” collaboration–Glenn Morrisettte’s clarinet and Bob Marino’s drums, standing in for the great ones.

These two set the theme. On “That Did It Marie,” the first part is played just the way it was on the old Goodman 1941 recording with Peggy Lee, here with Cassie Miller shining on the jivey vocal and Don Shelton's clarinet effectively taking the Goodman solo here. “C Jam Blues” puts a modern touch on Ellington’s composition, while “Moten Swing” brings new life to the old Ernie Wilkins arrangement.

Certainly a highlight is an ingenious mix of Basie and Dorsey on “I’ll Never Smile Again,” with the burnished sax section punctuated by Remstein’s piano, leading into Tole’s trombone tribute to Dorsey.

In the vocal department, Miller builds to a delightful climax in Kim Richmond's fast paced, sexy version of “Love For Sale. Not to be outshone, Mike Costley delivers a very hip version of the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” The two singers get together for a delightful take on the familiar Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong duet, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”

In the last track, an outstanding original, Richard Lieb’s “Breathless,” showcases Tole’s lush, warm trombone, concluding this most listenable CD with something new to go with the old.

Reviewed by: Larry Taylor
www.jazzreview.com

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"... Bill's [Elliott] singing group, The Lucky Stars are featured...along with the oh-so-talented, oh-so-gorgeous Cassie Miller. "One Girl and Two Boys" shows off Cassie's huge singing talent...I would rate her talent in the class of Rosemary Clooney." — Kevin T. Van Meter, Amazon.com

"Vocalist Cassie Miller had the fine warm, Helen Forrest touch for such hits as "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" and especially "It's Been a Long, Long Time" but she spelled her name with a "Z" when she belted "New York, New York" ala Minnelli."  — Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Sentinel

"Singer Cassie Miller belted a half-dozen tunes with ease and power that recalled [Harry] James' star Helen Forrest...The evenings best moments came from Miller..." — Mike Drew, The Milwaukee Journal

...The real class of the evening was vocalist Cassie Miller, a picture of the 1940's band singer in her upswept Betty Grable hair, haltertop print dress, and wedgies. In song after song ("I'm Beginning to See the Light", "Embraceable You", "I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues", "I've Heard That Song Before" and "I Had the Craziest Dream") she brought out the romantic emotions of those war years... ...Miller demonstrated that lovely melodies and meaningful lyrics presented with gracious style and simple movement are what singing is all about. She brought back the days of Harry James vocalists Helen Forrest and Kitty Kalen and the simple sentiments of "I Don't Want to Walk Without You"...I'd almost forgotten how relaxing pop music of that era is compared with the pounding, electronic beat of today. — Nelda Stuck (Redlands Daily Facts July 11, 2001)

Cassie Miller with Gary Tole and the Legends of Swing — Swingera Yahoo! Group

Gary Tole has been a visitor to Tuxedo Junction for some time. When he first emailed me a couple of years ago, he was surprised when I told him we had already met — in Chicago in the late 1970s, when he played first trombone with Jimmy Henderson and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Since then, Gary has played with a number of big bands, including those of Harry James, Tex Beneke, Les Brown and Jimmy Dorsey. Moreover, Gary has worked with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Bernadette Peters, Kenny Rogers, Rita Moreno, Melissa Manchester, James Ingram, and Phil Collins. He has often been seen and heard on television backing more greats, such as Diana Ross, Sammy Davis, Bob Hope, Pia Zadora,Sheena Easton, Peabo Bryson, and the Pointer Sisters. Gary has also spent numerous hours in the recording studios doing record sessions, TV film, jingles, and major motion picture sound tracks.

In a word, Gary Tole is a musicians' musician.

When Gary formed Legends of Swing a couple of years ago, he selected from the wonderful pool of top studio musicians we are blessed to have here in Los Angeles. I heard them for the first time recently at Plummer Park not far from my home. It was a real pleasure for me to hear this great band--and wonderful to hear big band music played and sung as it should be.

Vocalist Cassie Miller joined the band for the second set. Cassie is a wonderful vocalist who sings big band music beautifully because of her love and dedication to it. Her rendition of Boogie Blues would have landed her job with Gene Krupa (or any other big band during the Swing Era) any day of the week in the early 1940s.

Fortunately, Gary Tole and the Legends of Swing and Cassie Miller perform throughout the United States and elsewhere. Visit their web sites to see when they might be in your neck of the woods. And in the meantime, do yourself a big favor and order their CDs from their web sites.