Jim Caruso’s new CD, The Swing Set, opens with a percolating “I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed” (McHugh and Koehler), but Caruso can uncross his fingers now. This jazzy, joyous jamboree hits the jackpot. With hip music pals to help, Caruso refreshes some standards, pops in some new tunes, and makes music to have a good time by. You need the best to make it all sound so easy and here Caruso includes guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, Warren Vaché and Ross Konikoff on trumpet, pianists Billy Stritch and Tedd Firth, Kristy Norter on sax and bassist Steve Doyle. Jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein has quadruple duty: as Musical Director, creator of some sensational arrangements, and co-producer of the CD with Michael Croiter.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, folks regularly went out on the town to catch high-octane entertainers and singers with cool, witty arrangements making music that was fun. Later, if they stayed home, they could choose from any number of TV variety shows—The Hollywood Palace, The Andy Williams Show, etc. Things have changed; MTV is not quite the same as The Ed Sullivan Show, but Caruso brings much of that mid-century flashy glamour to The Swing Set.

Everyone joins in for Kay Thompson’s bazazz-y “I Love a Violin,” with Caruso starting off, Weinstein following with everyone on board for the high-voltage jazz-flavored harmony ending by “The Stritch Brothers” (shades of The Williams Brothers). Michael Feinstein joins Caruso swinging “Gotta Be This or That” (Sunny Skylar with updated lyrics by Marcy Heisler and Sharon Douglas). Ronny Graham’s “I’m So Happy” has additional lyrics by Ray Jessel, cabaret’s lyrical Einstein. With Billy Stritch, Caruso zooms on a speedy scat trip to “Avalon” (Jolson/DeSylva/Rose, additional lyrics by Sharon Douglas) with Hilary Kole floating the melody and Weinstein and the band driving a rollicking arrival at the destination. More low-pressured is Stephanie J. Block and Caruso’s catchy “The Doodlin’ Song” (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh) and Martin Mull wrote a clever, snappy tune, proving Caruso is “Flexible.”

Caruso shows sophisticated depth with ballads, the standout being “If I Only Had a Brain” (Arlen/Harburg). “Manhattan” is a laid-back nostalgia trip with Tedd Firth on piano. Caruso ends poignantly with a somewhat unusual selection for The Swing Set, a ballad with words to live by, “Heart’s Desire” (Broadbent/Frishberg), with Billy Stritch’s sensitive pianissimo. Listen and you may agree that making this recording with its fun and musicality was a labor of love for Jim Caruso; you might say it was his “Heart’s Desire.”

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
March 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org