Night & Day Big Band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Night & Day Big Band | ||
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| Studio album by Chicago | ||
| Released | 23 May 1995 | |
| Recorded | December 1994 - January 1995 |
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| Genre | Big Band | |
| Length | 51:27 | |
| Label | Giant Records | |
| Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| Chicago chronology | ||
| Twenty 1 (1991) |
Night & Day Big Band (1995) |
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 (1997) |
Night & Day Big Band is an album by American rock band Chicago that was released in 1995. Their twenty-second official album, it marked the band's abandonment of Top 40 material for a more thematic project, the focus here being classic big band and swing music.
Following the commercial failure of 1991's Twenty 1, Chicago recorded the still-unreleased Stone of Sisyphus -- a dramatic return to the old days of artistic freedom without trying to have a hit single -- which was rejected by Reprise Records. In response, Chicago left the label and started up their own imprint, Chicago Records, to re-distribute their recently-acquired Columbia Records output and, presumably, to release their future material. Despite this, their new "big band" project (in many ways, the root of Chicago's original sound) would be carried by Giant Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music, who also ironically distributes Reprise.
Landing noted producer Bruce Fairbairn to helm the project, Chicago recorded Night & Day Big Band in late 1994/early 1995 and released it that May. Although Bruce Gaitsch played guitar on the sessions, the guitar slot would eventually be filled that year by Keith Howland, who remains Chicago's present guitarist. As a side note, Joe Perry of Aerosmith was brought in to add a sizzling solo to "A Train."
Reaction to the album was mixed. Original fans were doubtless pleased by the throwback to the band's formative years, while longtime fans of their David Foster-era were surprised by the sudden about-face. Compounding this was the fact that such a drastic change in style at this stage in the band's career was a risky, if brave, move commercially. Consequently, the album reached #90 in the US. But, after years of recording music that, in their view, felt at times like the work of other artists, Chicago were pleased to reclaim their roots and find themselves again in control.
[edit] Track listing
- "Chicago" (Fred Fisher) – 3:06
- "Caravan" (Duke Ellington/Irving Mills/Juan Tizol) – 3:23
- "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (Fabian Andre/Gus Kahn/Wilber Schwandt) – 3:12
- Features Jade on backing vocals and Paul Shaffer on piano
- "Goody Goody" (Matty Malneck/Johnny Mercer) – 4:05
- "Moonlight Serenade" (Glenn Miller/Mitchell Parish) – 4:26
- "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 5:36
- "Blues in the Night" (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) – 6:05
- Features Joe Perry on electric guitar
- "Sing, Sing, Sing" (Louis Prima) – 3:21
- Features The Gipsy Kings on backing vocals
- "Sophisticated Lady" (Duke Ellington/Irving Mills/Mitchell Parish) – 5:11
- "In the Mood" (Joe Garland) – 3:43
- "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Duke Ellington/Bob Russell) – 3:38
- "Take The "A" Train" (Billy Strayhorn) – 5:36
- "String of Pearls" (Bonus Track on Japanese CD issue and USA pre-release promotional CD)
Night & Day Big Band (Giant 24615) reached #90 in the US during a chart stay of 7 weeks. It did not chart in the UK.
[edit] Personnel
- Bill Champlin - pianos, keyboards, guitars
- Bruce Gaitsch - guitar
- Tris Imboden - drums, percussion
- Robert Lamm - pianos, keyboards, percussion, vocals, background vocals
- Lee Loughnane - trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, guitar, percussion, background vocals
- James Pankow - trombone, percussion, background vocals
- Walter Parazaider - saxophones, flute, clarinet
- Jason Scheff - electric bass, vocals, background vocals
Additional personnel
- Luis Conte - percussion
- Jack Duncan - percussion
- Sal Ferreras - percussion
- Gipsy Kings - vocals
- Jade - vocals on "Dream A Little Dream Of Me"
- Joe Perry - guitar
- Paul Shaffer - piano on "Dream A Little Dream of Me"
| Chicago |
|---|
| Robert Lamm | James Pankow | Lee Loughnane | Walter Parazaider | Bill Champlin Jason Scheff | Tris Imboden | Keith Howland Terry Kath | Peter Cetera | Danny Seraphine | Laudir DeOliveira | Donnie Dacus | Chris Pinnick | Dawayne Bailey |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: The Chicago Transit Authority | Chicago | Chicago III | Chicago V | Chicago VI |Chicago VII | Chicago VIII | Chicago X | Chicago XI | Hot Streets Chicago 13 | Chicago XIV | Chicago 16 | Chicago 17 | Chicago 18 | Chicago 19 | Twenty 1 | Night & Day Big Band | Chicago XXX |
| Live albums: Chicago at Carnegie Hall | Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert |
| Compilations: Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits | Greatest Hits, Volume II | Greatest Hits 1982-1989 The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 | The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II | The Very Best of: Only the Beginning | Love Songs |
| Christmas albums: Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album | What's It Gonna Be, Santa? |
| Unreleased album: Stone of Sisyphus |
| Box sets: The Box |
