Good music always has a scene. I could name the most obscure mixture of music types to
Eric, and he may just laugh at me, but I can assure you there’s a scene for it
if the music’s good. Gypsy Jazz, Swing Revival, Delta Blues, whatever the hell
you call it it’s great music, and the Squirrel Nut Zippers are some of the best
I’ve ever listened to!
The Zippers hit the scene in 1993
and have been swinging ever since.
They gained some notoriety in 1996 when mainstream America decided to
like swing for about 3 years I guess.
This gave 3rd wave aka and swing revival artist some time in
the spot light (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy even played the Super Bowl half-time show
in 1999.) Sadly, this didn’t last
and the new millennium pressed on.
The Zippers do big band in a way
only a big band can. Currently
comprised of several members playing everything from banjo, trombone, slide
guitar, cornet, violin, ukulele, saxophone, harp, piano, trumpet, drum and
bass, they can fill each track in a way you can only get with a big concert
band. The songs themselves range
from quick toe tappers, to slow waltzes, delightful ditties, and big powerful showstoppers,
almost as if you’re at a jazz concert.
Listening to these guys is a great break
from the normal. They have a great
swing to them that has turned me on to a number of other artists in the
genre. Listen to the opening track "The Suit's Are Picking Up the Bill," and see if you’re not hungry for some more of these guys. Check ‘em out on their website, and
look for their newest album dropping this year.
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