Susie Arioli band-featuring Jordan Officer
Live At Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
Justin Time
By George W. Harris

Here’s a band that has got the straight retro feel down cold. Vocalist/snare drummer Susie Arioli lets her depression era vibe do the talking during this enjoyable concert back in 06. Giving a straight 4 to the bar swing feel, and letting the music speak for itself, she and her quintet strut through an hours worth of Tin Pan Alley, with a hint of modern pop. Spacious and Hot Club influenced guitar work by Jordan Officer ad a bohemian feel to sings like “If Dreams Come True” and “Honeysuckle Rose.” Arioli’s voice is relaxed, warm and very cosmopolitan, handling tunes like “He’s Funny That Way” like she was raised on Lee Wiley records. The band is able to get a bit funky as well, driving up the heat on “Jordan’s Boogie”, but mostly the mood is nightclub cabaret swing, and it’s done to perfection on this sweetly sublime release. A bonus DVD shows what you may have missed that night, as well as the two drink minimum.