Kawai Piano Prices: Swing! Here and Now: Piano [Paperback] Review

I have a full big band that meets at my home once a week to rehearse and occassionally performs in the LA area.We are always looking for material to perform.I bought this entire set of books.

On the whole the arrangements are very good.They have lots of counterparts, and are more modern than much of the traditional swing band repertoire that we play (Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Count Basie type arrangements).Our favorites in this collection are I Had the Craziest Dream which has a great trumpet solo, Forty-Second Street, We're in the Money and Jeepers Creepers.Not every arrangement is that much fun to play though, for instance I don't care for the arrangement of "At Last."

This book, which is the score, comes with a CD with the George Roumanis Big Band.Our band has found the CD useful to hear how the songs should be played.However, we are split about the quality of the CD.I feel that the playing on the CD is lackluster and a bit sloppy, but other members of the band think it is great.

I would not recommend this collection for the CD (which is out of print as a standalone product), but I would definitely recommend this set of charts if you are looking for a repertoire for a swing band.

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Product Description:
Twelve fantastic swing dance charts composed by the great American songwriter Harry Warren and superbly arranged by master musician George Roumanis. Each song is recognized as a well-known standard featured in Hollywood musicals and all of the songs were recorded by famous big bands. Included with the conductor's book is a recording of the songs performed by the George Roumanis Big Band. Titles are: Chattanooga Choo Choo * I Had the Craziest Dream * Forty Second Street * The More I See You * Lulu's Back in Town * You'll Never Know * Jeepers Creepers * At Last * September in the Rain * Serenade in Blue * I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo * We're in the Money.

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