"G" As In Men
I first stumbled onto the G Men playing in the Gallery Tent one sunny afternoon at Cornerstone Festival in 1995. I was hoping to cool off with a Thai coffee. The coffee stand wasn't open, but Jason Harms's suave presentation chilled me out in no time. Judging by the packed house, G Men music should never be considered a mere novelty. Jason and his ensemble have been producing authentic swing style jazz in Minnesota since 1991, and on this their second release, they do it without a safety net, live. With upright base, vibes, grand piano, tom toms, and mellow guitar, they faithfully reproduce a style and delivery made famous fifty years ago by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, but there's no question where these sheiks are coming from spiritually. Jason's renditions of jazz standards "Count Your Blessings" and "Jericho" usher in a set of old hymns and original songs that would pass muster at any supper club or church. John Rutter's modern "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" would have been a great addition to anyone's holiday radio special. By Linda Stonehocker
How about a little jazz to set your step a tapping? With the recent popularity of Ben Fold Five and Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jason & the G-men should fit right in. This, their second release, follows Walkin' the Beat and is a live recording. Part of the album was recorded in an auditorium in Denver, Colorado and the rest was recorded in front of a live audience in a Large St Paul, Minnesota studio. The cuts are a combination of jazz, old hymns and spirituals, and original works. The style, well lets put it this way, someone listens to a lot of Frank Sinatra. Jason Harms does an excellent job in capturing the feel of a live performance from this smooth jazz era including the small talk between song. From the lively Count Your Blessing to Shepherd's Pipe Carol, you'll feel you've slipped back to an easier period. The quality of the recording is very good, although in parts, such as on Turn your Radio On, the audience seems weak -- they needed a few more microphones in the audience. Overall, this is still a worthy album. By Shari Lloyd
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