David Berger and the Sultans of Swing
Doin' the Do!

I have always been leery of band names or album titles that contain the word "swing." I thought perhaps the groups in question were trying to convince the listener that what they are hearing is swinging by using the word rather than using the music. Well, I'm going to have to rethink this theory after digesting the latest release by David Berger and the Sultans of Swing, Doin' the Do! (Such Sweet Thunder).

David Berger, conductor of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra from 1988 through 1994, has an amazing knack for clever and challenging arrangements, and it's really the music that is both shimmering and shimmying on this disc. I find myself skipping through the more vocal-oriented tracks, and Berger's version of the Yalloppin' Hounds' "Oops, My Bad" probably should have been left off of this recording. But, I would be hard pressed to find an orchestra swinging more creatively and solidly than the Sultans in this day and age.

Although the selections presented here would be fine for at-home listening, the disc may be more suited for a dancing audience. The focus on dancers is made clear by the inclusion of beats per minute for each song in the track listing and a few references to dancing in the liner notes. Whether you're cutting a rug or just lying on the floor with your headphones on, you'll find something too appreciate on this disc.

-Gary A. Miller

Visit the band at www.sultansofswing.com.