Swingin' With Style

THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, February 21, 2004
It's a bold-brassy collection that never feels like a museum-piece. Procopio handles them with an in-your-face intensity all his own.

Product Description
Monte Procopio’s love for the classic tunes of the past is reflected in this musical portrait. With his 13-piece band, Monte presents some of America’s best-loved songs in a classic swing band format using new arrangements that represent Procopio’s energized approach to the music. Monte's appreciation for the great singers of the past has given him a wide musical base from which he has developed his own definable style.

"Swingin’ With Style" features songs originally made famous by stars such as Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and many others.

Monte takes you back to a time when the bands were big, the music was swingin’ and the nightclubs across America were packed with dancers and listeners alike. Come along with Monte on this musical journey and you to can be "Swingin’ With Style".

Swingin' With Style

Swingin' With Style,Monte Procopio,Monte Procopio Productions

Average customer rating: Where's the beef? Good as it gets! Outstanding In All Respects! Worth the Purchase Swinging and Singing With Style

Swingin' With Style Manufacturer: MP Productions ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: A Swingin' Time Songs of Sinatra Two Shots This Guy's in Love Standard Time ASIN: B0001D36TS Release Date: 2004-02-20

Tracks:

1. Ive Got You Under My Skin
2. All of Me
3. The Way You Look Tonight
4. When I Fall In Love
5. Just a Gigolo (I Aint Got Nobody)
6. Summer Wind
7. Come Fly With Me
8. One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)
9. Mack the Knife
10. Unforgettable
11. The Lady Is a Tramp
12. Thats Life
13. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
14. Theme From New York, New York
15. What a Wonderful World

Album Description

Monte Procopio's love for the classic tunes of the past is reflected in this musical portrait. With his 13-piece band, Monte presents some of America's best-loved songs in a classic swing band format using new arrangements that represent Procopio's energized approach to the music. Monte's appreciation for the great singers of the past has given him a wide musical base from which he has developed his own definable style.

"Swingin' With Style" features songs originally made famous by stars such as Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and many others.

Monte takes you back to a time when the bands were big, the music was swingin' and the nightclubs across America were packed with dancers and listeners alike. Come along with Monte on this musical journey and you to can be "Swingin' With Style".

Customer Reviews:

Where's the beef?.......2007-01-25

I'm sorry this crooner just doesn't cut it for me. This performance was uninspiring to say the least! Where was the up-tempo excitement this style demands?

Well thank goodness we have a solid group of "Swinging Stylists" to keep this wonderful music ALIVE. Here is a few of the more talented ones....Harry Conick, Michael Buble, Steve Tyrell, Jamie Cullum and the gifted Peter Cincotti. Oh and how can I forget the GREAT Bobby Caldwell!!

Good as it gets!.......2007-01-21

I really like this new singer, he has a style all of his own. I recently bought his new CD "A Swingin' Time" and I also had to have this, his first CD offered on Amazon. I'm really hooked on Monte Procopio's unique approach to these classic songs, can't wait for more!

Outstanding In All Respects!.......2006-09-11

I was led to this title by an amazon review for another artist. What an absolutely fabulous discovery! Many who are interpreting the 'Great American Songbook' either are not suited for the genre or destroy the traditional textures by employing ill-advised arrangements or meandering. Mr. Procopio has enlisted first-rate musicians, maintained the integrity of classic swing, but while still establishing his own vocal character and astonishing authenticity. "Swingin' With Style" is the perfect title and highly recommended for anyone who appreciates big band swing and vocals. Mr. Procopio's highly anticipated second release, "A Swingin' Time," is due later this fall.

Worth the Purchase.......2006-08-25

Monte Procopio sings in a way that does not convey real feeling and emotion. He has a pleasant tone quality, but lacks two things: (1) genuine emotion; and (2) proper singing technique. He sounds cliche. The band, however, is HOT!! Buy the CD for the band and the arrangements. I typically sing along (being an alto, he sings a perfect octave below me) to try to help him out a bit.

Swinging and Singing With Style.......2006-06-25

I just received the CD which is the subject of this review. Monte Procopio not only swings with style, he has a polished singing style also. He does one thing on this CD which blows me away, he takes Frank Sinatra standards and puts his unique mark on them. He departs totally from the Nelson Riddle arrangements which are linked to Sinatra, and does The Summer Wind, Come Fly With Me, One For My Baby, and That's Life the way he wants to them. Tony Bennett is the only other singer than Monte that does this, and this CD is basically a tribute to Frank Sinatra with out trying to parrot Sinatra. His voice has a great range and goes from low to high notes with ease. Well done Monte, I look forward to your next CD.

Average customer rating:

Tonic Vintage Vocals Tonic Vintage Vocals Manufacturer: SKM Creative, Inc. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Retro Swing | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: It Ain't Over 'Til The Fat Man Swings ASIN: B0008JFMPQ Release Date: 2004-12-28

Tracks:

1. Lemon Twist
2. Second Date Stomp
3. Lazy River
4. I've Got a Crush On You
5. Hepster's Jive
6. Smoke Rings
7. Sammy Slick
8. I've Got Reservations
9. I Thought About You
10. Cloudy Memories
11. Fancy Feast
12. Straight For the Stars (via Lake Shore Drive)
13. Tonic

Product Description

The debut release by Chicago's Premiere Vintage Vocal Jazz Quartet sets the new swingin standard in Late Lounge. TONIC hit the Windy City jazz scene in 2003 with a myopic goal to carve out a niche in the future of the Great American Songbook. Two years later theyre delivering slick vocals that put a refreshing spin on popular Songbook classics and sharp neo-pop originals, all backed by a mix of the best musicians on the Third Coast. Hailed by critics and industry greats (Cy Coleman, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Larry Gelbart, etc.) their entre to the vocal jazz world is a mix of hot harmonies and sweet that grooves from Lounge to Latin and kicking to cool. 13 cuts of solid swank with sweet harmonies and smooth solos that blend into a modern journey back to pure Vintage style.

Average customer rating:

Ain't Love A Kick Manufacturer: Late Nite ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00006IIQP Release Date: 2002-06-01

Tracks:

1. Ain't That A Kick In The Head
2. Everybody Has The Right To Be Wrong
3. The Second Time Around
4. Please Be Kind
5. I'll Only Miss Her When I Think of Her
6. Day By Day
7. Star
8. All My Tomorrows
9. Time After Time
10. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
11. My Kind Of Town
12. The Things We Did Last Summer
13. Be My Love

Album Description

Chicago vocalist Frank Lamphere's cd debut as both singer and producer Ain't Love A Kick, with it's first class production qualities, well planned arrangements, song selection, and above all, powerful vocal interpretations is a real winner. Ain't Love A Kick has elements of several musical styles but is predominantly straight ahead jazz; featuring 13 songs from lyricist Sammy Cahn's extensive songbook. Performing both the well known and the obscure, Frank and his quartet "use arrangements that make the group sound much larger than it is" -All About Jazz. An enjoyable listening experience is to be had by jazz fans and those with an appreciation of 30's-60's pop and big band music.

Ain't That A Kick In The Head is the album's opener. It features driving rhythm, stylish piano comping and the blazing licks of stellar guitarist Frank Portolese. It's hard to keep from tapping your foot in 4/4 time and to refrain from singing along with Lamphere on this Oceans Eleven classic.

The Second Time Around is arranged as an elegant rhumba. Written in 1960 this recording captures a warm vocal performance by Frank and the lush piano artistry of Johnny Gabor.

Please Be Kind is the earliest of Cahn's tunes represented in this collection. There are four choruses of solid jazz. Including a wonderful solo by veteran bassist Nick Schneider.

I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her from the short lived mid sixties musical Skyscraper, is a pensive lament to lost love. Accompanied by only guitar and bass, the air is thick with sentimentality.

The Things We Did Last Summer, is a beautifully written piece from the early forties, about a Summer romance that dwindles with the coming of Fall. Anyone familiar with the work of the legendary Dean Martin, who recorded this song more than once, may find some nice interpretive similarities. Once again Gabor's exceptional piano and the brush work of drummer Mike Jeffers. make this an absolute treat.

My Kind of Town, so closely linked to Frank Sinatra, is given a total make over. Gabor (now on Hammond B3) and Portolese with twangy guitar create a blues groove where Lamphere soars.

For serious listening and even dancing, this is a marvelous album from start to finish.

Average customer rating:

It's About Time Mike Willette Manufacturer: 'Lil' Big Band Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAE8XI Release Date: 2001-06-19

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