After World War II, there were some major changes in the jazz world. Bop became more plentiful than swing, and big bands became much harder to find. That isn't to say that big bands disappeared altogether; jazz's post-swing era gave us the bands of , , and others. But it is safe to say that since the late '40s, big bands have been the exception rather than the rule. You have to know where to find them, and in Chicago, British expatriate 's big band has been celebrating the spirit of the Swing Era, which is what he does on . This 60-minute CD comes from three different sources: a live appearance at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, IL (a Chicago suburb) in 2005, a live appearance at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, IL (another Chicago suburb) in 2010, and a studio session from 2000 (the latter features clarinetist ). And in all three settings, 's orchestra fondly recalls the glory days of big bands. has a few boppish moments, but the main ingredient is swing, and salutes the icons of the Swing Era with spirited performances of gems associated with ( ), ), and ). Few surprises occur, but then, isn't meant to be an album of surprises. This release is a tribute to a bygone era -- a time in which jazz was very much a part of pop culture and wasn't regarded as music that was strictly for intellectuals. Indeed, and were tunes that one heard at high school dances or at the corner bar during WWII; they were as mainstream in their day as were in the '60s and , disco, and were in the '70s. And if is an exercise in nostalgia, it's certainly a likable one. ~ Alex Henderson