Night & Day Big Band

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Night and Day: Big-Band
Night and Day: Big-Band cover
Studio album by Chicago
Released May 23, 1995
Recorded December 1994 - January 1995
Genre Big Band
Length 51:27
Label Giant Records
Producer Bruce Fairbairn
Professional reviews
Chicago chronology
Twenty 1
(1991)		 Night and Day: Big-Band
(1995)		 The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997
(1997)

Night and 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 Stone of Sisyphus in 1993 and 1994-- a dramatic return to the old days of artistic freedom without trying to have a hit single -- which was rejected by Reprise Records. (It is now scheduled for a June 17, 2008 release on Rhino.) 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 "Blues In The Night."

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

  1. "Chicago" (Fred Fisher) – 3:06
  2. "Caravan" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol) – 3:23
  3. "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilber Schwandt) – 3:12
  4. "Goody Goody" (Matty Malneck, Johnny Mercer) – 4:05
  5. "Moonlight Serenade" (Glenn Miller, Mitchell Parish) – 4:26
  6. "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 5:36
  7. "Blues in the Night" (Harold Arlen, Mercer) – 6:05
  8. "Sing, Sing, Sing" (Louis Prima) – 3:21
  9. "Sophisticated Lady" (Ellington, Mills, Parish) – 5:11
  10. "In the Mood" (Joe Garland) – 3:43
  11. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Ellington, Bob Russell) – 3:38
  12. "Take The "A" Train" (Billy Strayhorn) – 5:36
  13. "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

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"
v • d • e
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
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations