TERRY WALDO & THE GOTHAM CITY BAND

TREASURY VOL 2.

Turtle Bay Records

Terry Waldo, piano/arranger/bandleader; Veronica Swift & Molly Ryan, vocals; Mike Lipskin, piano; Brian Nalepka, bass/vocals; Jay Lepley, drums; Nick Russo, banjo; Arnt Arntzen, banjo/guitar/vocals; Jerron Paxton, banjo/vocals; Dan Levinson, saxophone; Evan Arntzen, clarinet; Mike Davis & Colin Hancock, trumpet; Jim Fryer, trombone/vocals; Ricky Alexander, clarinet/alto saxophone; Jay Rattman, bass saxophone.

This is Dixieland bliss and ragtime heaven.  Most jazz historians claim the ragtime era ended in 1917 after Scott Jopin died. Terry Waldo disagrees.  He believes that ragtime is still a current, expressive form of American music.  He and his Gotham City Band continue to perpetuate this music in person and on recordings.

This album opens with vocalist Veronica Swift singing “Guess Who’s in Town,” with that two-feel beat pushing the rhythm forward and the Evan Arntzen’s clarinet solo sparkling. Bassist, Brian Nalepka holds it all together, locking his groove tightly with Jay Lepley’s drum licks. Next, they ‘cover’ King Oliver’s classic, danceable “Snake Rag” tune. Mike Davis adds his trumpet, mimicking the cornet that played in the original 1923 recording by Oliver.

The Gotham City Band slows the groove down when they play the “Wabash Blues” with male vocalist, Jerron Paxton singing his heart out, who is also one of the banjo players in the band.

On “Muscle Shoals Blues, the rhythm section swings, and Waldo, Fryer, Davis and Alexander all offer inspired solos.

Then, on their arrangement of “Smiles” band leader, Terry Waldo tinkles the piano keys to open the piece and adds his vocals to the mix, singing the melody without lyrics, like a vocal horn.  After a joyful horn solo, Arnt Arntzen steps forward to sing the lyrics, complimented with vocal harmony from Waldo.  On “The Smiler” instrumental, the banjo of Jerron Paxton is king.

Terry Waldo not only records this music, he writes about it, offers podcasts about it, has a radio show, “This is Ragtime” (with a book of the same title available).  Check out terrywaldo.com for more information on the man and this historic music.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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