Tonight was different. The Garden, normally a well appointed, sedate coffeehouse had been completely re-arranged. The tables and chairs were relocated to the foyer, leaving at least a quarter acre of open floor in front of the stage. Sitting around would not be an option. There was a special admission break for couples, and an hour before the band appeared, the dance lessons started.
Many couples took advantage of the special rate, and the rest were paired off for an hour of intense instruction in the mystery of 6-count dancing. In no time, the paired strangers picked it up, and everyone had a taste of the sense of accomplishment a well executed on-beat turn can afford. The group had a good opportunity to check out each other's outfits, too. There was everything from jeans to knee-length vintage '40s to full-length formals on the young and enthusiastic participants.
Participation was a key word for the "concert." It's never been easy to sit through a Jason and the G-men set. The '40s stylists dead-on interpretation of standards and original compositions set an infectious beat that can't be ignored. The current swing dance craze is bringing new attention to a group that has been exploring the riches of the last elegant era of popular music since 1994. Lead singer Jason Harms's delivery owes much to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet and their jazz combo emphasises strings (upright bass, guitar) and keyboards (vibraphone, piano), not the wailing horns of be-bop, but a crowd primed to dance didn't let such fine distinctions in style stop them.
The piano player couldn't make the trip from Minnesota this time, but the dancing pros came out in force once the live band started their set. The excitement level soared as the crowd watched two shows--one on stage, one on the floor. The sets were a nice mix of crowd-pleasing older recordings, and material from their new album, Swing Hard, Swing Often, released the day before the show. Slow, fast, instrumental, vocal, they danced to all of it. They even danced between sets to the background music, more swing, naturally.
Family, school, and career demands have forced Jason and the G-men to stay close to their home base, but they are clearly riding the crest of a hot trend. Perhaps they can be enticed to spread their unique blend of gospel jazz a little further afield. The dancers are waiting.
Jason and the G-men are scheduled to appear Sunday, July 4, 1999 at Cornerstone Festival.
