Colin James and the Little Big Band II

by Greg PratoWhile the late '90s may be remembered as the era of the swing revival movement, Colin James was one of the first artists to rediscover this popular musical style of yesteryear. Although James started out first and foremost as a blues guitarist, he'd been a lover of swing since he was a teen, deciding to ditch his blues-rock for 1993's Colin James and the Little Big Band I. The switch proved to be the right move back home; the album was a double-platinum smash. But since the swing revival was a few years off in the early '90s, James returned to blues-rock with 1995's Bad Habits, before this release signaled a return to swing. Included are covers of such legends as Cab Calloway ("C'Mon with the C'Mon"), Ray Charles ("Mary Ann"), and Willie Dixon ("You Know My Love"), plus other highlights ("Jumpin' from 6 to 6," "I'll See It Through," etc.). And fans of James' earlier work will be happy to learn that he hasn't given up blues entirely, especially after hearing the tracks "Let's Shout" and "Tin Pan Alley."