The music on this CD is reminicent of what one could hear in the 1940's and 1950's at Murph's Bar on Harrison Street in downtown Fort Wayne.
This was an active period for live music performance, and there were many night clubs, supper clubs, lounges and neighborhood bars offer- ring live music 3 to 6 nights a week.
Some had dance floors; others were just for imbibing and listening.
Class Act members Tom Archer and Dick Brown played many of these clubs, including Murph's, The Berghoff Gardens, Dewey's Lounge, Johnny's Nightcap, The Gaucho Room, The BalRou, and others.
Archer and Brown first played together in high school.
For several years Brown had a 10 to 12 piece dance band that played for proms and after- game dances at local high schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
Archer played in that band for about a year.
During this time the band also played live on Saturdays at WOWO, then the Westinghouse- owned 50,000-watt radio station.
After high school, Brown and Archer went different directions to college.
They met up again in the early 1950's when Tom returned to Fort Wayne Dick was a school music teacher and playing in the Jimmy Stier big band.
In the late 50's Tom joined the Dick Brown Quartet and stayed for several years.
Archer's career in the music instrument industry took him away from Indiana for a couple of decades.
After returning to his Indiana roots in 1991, the two old pals found themselves playing occasional gigs again.
At the same time, Archer and Clarence Boykins began working together as a duo.
Later, drummer Mike Shively joined Class Act and the trio was born.
The quartet was formed with the addition of Brown playing saxes, flute and clarinet.
This CD is dedicated to all of those fans of big band era music.
The groups laid back and easy swinging style has garnered a lot of fans and brought appearances all over northern Indiana.
This CD starts with a tune from those great collaborators, Rogers and Hart.
Of these two musical giants Dick Brown says, 'Their contribution to popular music during its Golden Age is immea- surable." Indeed 'two more of their songs appears later on the disk.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.classacttrio.com
Track List:
1. I could write a book
2. Just Squeeze me
3. Misty
4. Fall Out
5. You Are too Beautiful
6. Cute
7. My Funny Valentine
8. On a Clear Day
9. Laura
10. Loss of Love
11. Tom's Tune
12. Stella by Starlight
13. A day in the life of a fool
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
This was an active period for live music performance, and there were many night clubs, supper clubs, lounges and neighborhood bars offer- ring live music 3 to 6 nights a week.
Some had dance floors; others were just for imbibing and listening.
Class Act members Tom Archer and Dick Brown played many of these clubs, including Murph's, The Berghoff Gardens, Dewey's Lounge, Johnny's Nightcap, The Gaucho Room, The BalRou, and others.
Archer and Brown first played together in high school.
For several years Brown had a 10 to 12 piece dance band that played for proms and after- game dances at local high schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
Archer played in that band for about a year.
During this time the band also played live on Saturdays at WOWO, then the Westinghouse- owned 50,000-watt radio station.
After high school, Brown and Archer went different directions to college.
They met up again in the early 1950's when Tom returned to Fort Wayne Dick was a school music teacher and playing in the Jimmy Stier big band.
In the late 50's Tom joined the Dick Brown Quartet and stayed for several years.
Archer's career in the music instrument industry took him away from Indiana for a couple of decades.
After returning to his Indiana roots in 1991, the two old pals found themselves playing occasional gigs again.
At the same time, Archer and Clarence Boykins began working together as a duo.
Later, drummer Mike Shively joined Class Act and the trio was born.
The quartet was formed with the addition of Brown playing saxes, flute and clarinet.
This CD is dedicated to all of those fans of big band era music.
The groups laid back and easy swinging style has garnered a lot of fans and brought appearances all over northern Indiana.
This CD starts with a tune from those great collaborators, Rogers and Hart.
Of these two musical giants Dick Brown says, 'Their contribution to popular music during its Golden Age is immea- surable." Indeed 'two more of their songs appears later on the disk.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.classacttrio.com
Track List:
1. I could write a book
2. Just Squeeze me
3. Misty
4. Fall Out
5. You Are too Beautiful
6. Cute
7. My Funny Valentine
8. On a Clear Day
9. Laura
10. Loss of Love
11. Tom's Tune
12. Stella by Starlight
13. A day in the life of a fool
Suggested CDs:Other Genres: