It's currently available at http://campusfive.bandcamp.com
![Image](https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1589594738_10.jpg)
1 Honeysuckle Rose "ala Basie" (Razaf/Waller) 230 bpm
2 Tunis In (Thompson) 181 bpm
3 Just About Right for Me (Alhert) 151 bpm
4 You've Got Me Voodoo'd (Armstrong/Lawrence/Russell) 179 bpm
5 Cheek to Cheek (Berlin) 146 bpm
6 Mill House Stomp (Stout) 170 bpm
7 Limehouse Blues (Furber/Braham) 233 bpm
8 Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me (Swanstone/McCarron/Morgan) 105 bpm
9 Sunday (Miller/Cohn/Stein/Krueger) 153 bpm
10 Spreadin' Rhythm Around (McHugh/Koehler) 201 bpm
11 Dance of the Lindy Blossoms (Stout) 125 bpm
12 Rose Room (Hickman/Williams) 140bpm
13 Sweets (Basie/Edison) 173 bpm
14 Miss Brown to You (Robin/Ranger/Whiting) 144 bpm
15 Undecided (Shavers/Robin) 229 bpm
Jonathan Stout, guitar
Hilary Alexander, vocals
Albert Alva, tenor sax and clarinet
Jim Ziegler, trumpet and vocals
Christopher Dawson, piano
Wally Hersom, bass
Josh Collazo, drums
With special guests:
Bryan Shaw, trumpet on "Tunis In", "You've Got Me Voodoo'd", and "Dance of the Lindy Blossoms"
Marquis W. Howell II, bass on "Tunis In", and "You've Got Me Voodoo'd"
Tracks 1, 5, 8-9, and 12-15 recorded and mixed by Wally Hersom at Wallyphonic, Pasadena, CA
Tracks 2-4, 6-7, and 10-11 recorded and mixed by Bryan Shaw at Digital Brothers, Costa Mesa, CA
Final mastering by Bryan Shaw
Produced by Jonathan Stout and Hilary Alexander
Production Assistance by Jason Swihart
Sleeve Design: Chris Wilkinson
Liner Notes by Ryan Swift:
“My entire artistic life has been a chase to be the ‘real thing.’”
I spoke with Jonathan Stout for more than two hours on my podcast, but really, that single sentence pretty much sums him up.
You see, Jonathan is a perfectionist. Perhaps to a fault. He is compelled to be capital-A Authentic in everything he does. Of course, this has worked out quite nicely for the thousands of swing dancers Jonathan, Hilary and the Campus Five have played for over the years. Around the world, we have swung out to Authentic swing music wherever they have performed.
Sometimes, however, perfectionism gets in the way. It’s been 10 years since the last Campus Five album. Ten years since dancers have gotten to take home a fresh collection of Authentic swing tunes. All because recording session after recording session didn’t meet the high standards of a particular bandleader.
Other times, perfectionism pays off. This album is culled from three different recording sessions, each producing a number of choice tracks. These are the highlights. Usually folks are lucky to get one or two standouts on an album, but each track on “Spreadin’ Rhythm Around” is a gem.
On the founding of the Campus Five, Jonathan said of Hilary and himself, “We’re dancers first. We’re not jazz preservationists.” Luckily for us, that’s never been more apparent. All of the musicians on this record are Authentic, but none are mere facsimile. Of course the influences are there – echoes of Charlie Christian, Illinois Jacquet, and Gene Krupa are all over this record – but they manage to be loyal to the Swing Era while making the sound completely their own and the music as modern as it’s ever been.
What you hold in your hands is the best of the best, from the best of the best. Enjoy the “real thing.”
- Ryan Swift, Swing DJ & host of The Track Podcast