Somebody please tell me what on earth is wrong with me? I'm modern and I'm progressive, so what is it that makes me squeeze my eyes in pain and stuff my fingers in my ears at the sound of today's modern and progressive trance music? If I'm so modern and progressive, how is it that I go absolutely raving mad for the music of 80 years ago?
Swing and its likes have absolutely nothing to do with the music that I'm supposed to like, that is, the kill-me-now-lyricless-instrumentless-sorry-excuse- for-music that is released on a daily basis, but at least, it seems that I am not alone!
Last Saturday, the Hilton was packed with a young and young at heart crowd for a night of Swing music, with covers from Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, to Glen Miller, Sammy Davis Jr., and many other Swing legends. And just like me, the crowd just couldn't get enough.
With Sigmund Mifsud at the helm of things, as Producer, Musical Director, and also dubbing as Glenn Miller's trumpeter, my expectations were high, very high in fact, but even so, I was not let down. The combination of Sigmund's artistry together with Daniel Cauchi's musical talent and comic timing blew me and the rest of the audience away. The 16 piece Big Band and the guest singers were, at times the cherry on the cake, and at times the full creamy cake itself.
Some members of the audience even dressed up for the night. Women of all ages strutted around with budding rounded busts and waistline curves, curly hair and small plate shaped hats, whilst some men wore wadding or shoulder pads, sleeves tapered to the wrist, double breasted speckled gray suits, generous-cut long trousers, and the obligatory cloche hats. It must have been the closest any of us will ever get to that era, when Swing music, also known as Swing Jazz started to develop.
With an impeccable programme of strong rhythms with double bass, drums, brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones as well as my old time favourite, the saxophones, the audience was kept gagging and ogling for more as the line up took us from medium to fast tempos and a lifting swing time rhythm.
Even if you're not a particular fan of this era's music, I dare anyone to stay put, not to tap their feet, not to sing along, or even stand up and swing at the sound of ‘Smile', ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love', ‘Fly Me To The Moon', ‘My Way' and the band's own Maltese version of ‘New York, New York'.
The evening was topped up with an impromptu make over for Daniel who had his hair cut and his face shaved during the intermission, and an appearance of John Bundy and Steph who could not resist sitting in their seats any longer and started dancing in front of the stage, until Daniel Cauchi, with his impeccable comic tune made them go on stage. Poor Bundy, who truth be told, has the moves, was left breathless by the spritely and younger Steph.
I only have one wish left now- that the standing ovation, the cries for more, and the great feedback that the musicians received after the show, will encourage them to take it further, to revive Swing music in Malta, and that some time before I grow old and white-haired, there will be at least one bar that I can go to and enjoy the music without having to put cotton wool in my ear to deafen the squeaky, meaningless, scratches and chord pinches of some of today's music.
For photos of the show check out http://www.alisonbezzina.com/swing-it-baby/