Daddy Warbucks & the Little Orphan Annies
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Zoot Suit and a Smile
Brummagem
Here’s a gimmick from hell: a lone male, “Daddy Warbucks,” leads a 9-piece all-girl swing band through a set of swing classics and a few retooled tunes from the legendary Broadway musical. It’s as cheesy as you’d expect, but there’s actually some cute moments, such as the revisionist “The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow (But ‘Til Then, Let’s Swing the Night Away).” Faring better are their takes on swing standards like “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” and the inevitable “Jump, Jive, an’ Wail.” Not nearly as bad as it sounds.
Brummagem Records, PO Box 1412, New York, NY 10102
