Purveyors of the classic swing era tradition, acoustic guitarist Guy Van Duser and clarinetist Billy Novick define the laid-back sound of the genre within a wise and wondrous framework. Novick reflects the greats like Benny Goodman, Peanuts Hucko, and Albert Nicholas while not quite going for the stark vibrato of Sidney Bechet. Van Duser is a tried and true rhythm guitarist in the Freddie Green tradition, but is quite able to solo melodically or merge with his partner's noble black wooden instrument without hesitation or sidesteps. They both sing, Novick doing the bulk of the work, in an effete, somewhat ribald style reminiscent of Leon Redbone without the gruff falsetto facade. Tunes like the inquiring Mary with the lyric "what are you waiting for?," the simple, relaxed traditional swinger Just a Little While to Stay Here and guitar led, tandem fed We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye are songs off the beaten path, even for staunch vintage mavens. Of course Begin the Beguine is a chestnut, but a bossa nova taste brings it up to date, while Old Fashioned Love has Van Duser adding a finger style flourish, and At a Georgia Camp Meeting is jacked up in animated, clean fueled energy. Stompin' at the Savoy and High Society are fairly stock, but sans a rhythm section still seem freshened up and potent. The players each contribute an original; Novick's Sonora's Blues sounds like a less urgent Stormy Weather, while Van Duser's Rita's Song is a nice tune for an assuredly pretty lady. These veterans have played in this style for many years, and are accustomed to the music of the era they have chosen. Bigger on the folk music than the world-wide jazz festival circuit, with appeal to a specific instead of universal audience, Van Duser and Novick play near perfect music close to their hearts, eminently true to form from start to finish ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi

1		Just a Little While to Stay Here
2		Don't Let It Bother You
3		Mary
4		Begin the Beguine
5		Stompin' at the Savoy
6		Sonora's Blues
7		Old Fashioned Love
8		High Society
9		Louisiana Fairy Tale
10		Them There Eyes
11		Rita's Song
12		We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye
13		At a Georgia Camp Meeting