Trolley Songs - 2011

This album has been a pleasure to work on! I've been touring with the Beantown Swing Orchestra for quite some time now and it is an honor for me to be on their first studio album. "Trolley Songs" is a collection of classic songs such as "Moon River" and "You're The Top", as well as new original tunes such as "To Be In Love Again" and "Olde Town Team".

All of the arrangements were done by our very own Danny Fratina, who has given new life to the songs you and I know and love and created arrangements that will cement the original songs in your memory forever. He and lyricist, Micha Goolsby wrote all of the original tunes with the exception of my own tune "To Be In Love Again". Their partnership on this album is essential. "Olde Town Team" and "The Evil Empire" are fun, energetic, and bring a big slice of Boston pride into this album. And since we are, in fact, the Beantown Swing Orchestra, with the emphasis on BEANTOWN, I think it makes perfect sense! Get ready for some more great tunes from Goolsby & Fratina because in the next couple Beantown Swing albums you'll be hearing more great stuff!

I'm very fortunate to work with such amazing musicians who show a love and passion for this music that you can definitely hear in these recordings. And this was the first time, in my career, that I was able to see, hear, & record at the same time as the band. And what a thrill it was! Ever since I was little, I dreamed of singing and recording with a big band! Now I can check that off my Bucket list. hah.

CREDITS:
ARRANGED & CONDUCTED BY: Danny Fratina
VOCALS: John Stevens, Jen Hirsh, Micha Goolsby, Laura Brunner
SAXES/FLUTES/CLARINETS: Mark Zaleski, Rick Stone, Leon Cotter, Tucker Antell, Melanie Howell, Arthur Felluca
TRUMPETS: John Replogle, Yaure Muniz, Vivek Patel, Daniel Henderson, Don Clough, Matt Joseph
TROMBONES: Ryan Dragon, Clayton Dewalt, Randy Pingrey, Scott Flynn, David Roth
PIANO: Takeshi Ohbayashi
GUITAR: Chris Brown
BASS: Genevieve Rose
DRUMS: Shinya Fukumori
STRINGS (on “Moon River” only”): Zoya Tsvetkova, Clayton Mathews, Stephanie Skor, Olga Patramanskaya, Marissa Licata, Yasmine Azaiez, Mia Friedman, Yaeko Miranda Elmaleh, Asuka Usui, Joanna Mattrey, Keith Sanders, Emily Deans, Ariel Friedman, Jeremy Harman