School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Swing's the Thing

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Swing's the Thing · In late 1956 the American tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet recorded this album for the Clef label. He plays in a sextet with the trumpeter Roy Eldridge, the pianist Jimmy Jones, the guitarist Herb Ellis, the bassist Ray Brown and the drummer Jo Jones. All six are experienced musicians, and you can hear it in the space between them.

The album has six tracks of between four and almost seven minutes. It includes jazz standards such as Can't We Be Friends?, Have You Met Miss Jones? and Lullaby of the Leaves, alongside Harlem Nocturne. Las Vegas Blues was written by Eldridge and Achtung by Jacquet himself. The music leans on long solos. Thom Jurek of AllMusic wrote that the magic lies in the performances, with so many great names together, and called it essential Jacquet.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Harlem Nocturne and notice how the tenor saxophone gives the melody of this track space and warmth.

Track list

  1. 1Las Vegas Blues6:17Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Harlem Nocturne4:32Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Can't We Be Friends?6:43Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Achtung5:07Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Have You Met Miss Jones?5:56Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Lullaby of the Leaves5:45Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs