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While We Danced CD

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While We Danced at the Mardi Gras

Click on either of the two images to the left to view larger versions.

The rhythm section:

Ian Frenkel, a native of Moscow, Russia, is a talented pianist, arranger, and composer.  Equally adept in all jazz styles, he approaches Dixieland with extraordinary spirit.  Playing with the mastery of a musician well beyond his 27 years, he adds to this recording his great rhythmic sense and superb soloing abilities.

Steve Bulmer provides excitement with the impetus of swinging bass lines and well-crafted lyrical improvisation.  He performs in jazz festivals across the U.S., with regional orchestras in Connecticut, and as a substitute bass player for the Broadway show Chicago.

A creative and masterful drummer, Tom Briggs is an award winning arranger and composer as well as a highly sought after vibraphonist and pianist.  Tom’s drive, precision, and clarity are exceptional and contribute exceedingly to the energy and spirit of this project.

It was a thrill for me to work with these fine musicians.  Their support, along with the support from my family and other musicians through the years, has been my inspiration.  We had fun in the studio making this recording.  Hope you have fun listening to it.

A Critique of this CD

To truly experience a taste of New Orleans one only needs a piping hot plate of jambalaya, some red beans and rice, and a visit to the French Quarter.  Or one needs to just pick up Andy Sherwood’s debut recording, “While We Danced at the Mardi Gras.” The incomparable sound of Andy Sherwood is clear and focused.  He is continuing a great legacy of jazz clarinetists that includes Pete Fountain, Benny Goodman, Buddy DeFranco, and Eddie Daniels.  It is clear that Andy’s overwhelming emphasis is New Orleans Dixieland jazz in the style of Pete Fountain.  Andy Sherwood is first and foremost a great clarinetist who possesses that characteristically dark, fat, soulful New Orleans Dixieland sound.  This collaboration establishes a new standard for jazz clarinet performance into the coming years.

Andy Sherwood pays tribute to the great tradition of New Orleans jazz on this CD by featuring the most illustrious musical standard selections of the Dixieland repertoire.  While We Danced at the Mardi Gras and Jazz Me Blues evoke all the magic that one experiences on Canal Street on Fat Tuesday as the gentlemen throw doubloons and beads from the floats and the crowd does a two step to the Dixie band on board.  Sherwood’s improvising is propelled by a bounce “that just makes you feel good.” Basin Street Blues features Sherwood’s bluesy, melancholy interpretation that will make you long to be in the “Big Easy” once again.  Pianist Ian Frenkel and bassist Steve Bulmer also contribute tremendous improvised solos.  China Boy is a dazzling tour de force in which Sherwood demonstrated his technical prowess as well as his great flare for the Dixieland style.  For the uninitiated, Back Home Again in Indiana, and Wolverine Blues exemplify what is meant by swingin’.  The beauty of Do you Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans is only surpassed here by Andy Sherwood’s sublime rendition of the timeless classic.  No traditional New Orleans Dixieland performance would be complete without Just a Closer Walk With Thee, and the tune traditionally known as Saints, the most famous of all Dixieland songs, When the Saints Go Marching In.

Kirk Edwards

“While We Danced at the Mardi Gras”
Compact Disc Recording

• Produced by Andy Sherwood

• Recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered
  by William Ahearn, The TapeWorks, Hartford, CT

• Recorded June 22, 1998

• CD production and graphic design
  by Disc Makers

• Portrait by Tom Hahn

• Cover photography by
  Nicole Williamson

“While We Danced at the Mardi Gras”
CD’s can be purchased on the CD Baby web site at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/andysherwood

Sample Sound Selections Playable On-Line.

Sound files take longer to “load” ... so if you have Hi-Speed connection (or are adventurous) turn on the “woofer,” turn up the volume and go for it.  It may take several minutes for “Full-Length” files to load and play.  A great deal of patience will be required if you are connected by normal dial-up modem.  It may be necessary to play a second time if the initial play has “skips.”

Average lengths of playing time

While he was not the “headliner” for the “Awake My Soul and Sing!” CD, Andy played a major role in the making of that CD.  He was featured playing clarinet on tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and saxophone on track 1.  Here is a picture of Andy during the recording in the studio.

http://home.swbell.net/delspc/awake.htm