The Detroit Swingtet - Gypsy Djazz

A glance at the title of the tunes on this album is enough to give one an idea of the scope of the Detroit Swingtet a US based group under the direction of the french accordionist Julien Labro We are in the Django Reinhardt / Stephane Grappelli zone and also some Benny Goodman and Hoagy Carmicheal from whom comes the wonderful Stardust included in this album.

Having described the content we should mention the formation as it is here that there is a difference. The tunes are all interepreted by the young musicians in an excellent manner with passion and gusto both as a group and when called for as soloists: the result is that this CD can be played over and over without becoming tiresome.

Certainly this is classic music, in some way transformed and yet this Gypsy Djazz group has the effect of an open window in springtime and it is very nice to listen to these musicians whose delicate manner still manages to add a swing to every note keeping the tunesfresh even though they are 100 years old. Labro cuts himself some space on the CD with his own composition "Valse a Lafayette" which holds up well in the company of the other famous songs.

Every soloist, Labro on accordion, Dave Bennet on Clarinet, Jeremy Kittel on violin and Evan Perry on solo guitar is given a way of expressing himself against the rhytmic backing provided by Neil Mattson (rhythm guitar) and Gregory Cook (bass). Of the ten tracks the one that stands out the most is the second "Air Mail Special" in which Bennett works well, whereas interpretation of "Nuages" remains somewhat stiff. This si just a personal observation and the overall positive nature of the project is not adversely affected.

Reviewed by Alessandro Mugnoz, May 2007