Lounge Brigade: Put Some Style In It

Lounge Brigade covers hokey hits from the ’50s and ’60s a la Enoch Light’s Light Brigade of that era. The band includes four alumni, including guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Al Caiola, reedsman Phil Bodner and drummer Bobby Rosengarden, aided by bassist Harvie Swartz, vibist Warren Chiasson and two vocalists. Talk about retro schtick, these 10 tracks even use vintage mixing techniques, including stereo “ping-pong” effects, for the “Hi-Fi Collegiate Medley of “La Bamba” and “Hang on Sloopy;” a Sammy Davis Jr. medley of “Mr. Bojangles,” “Candy Man” and “What Kind of Fool Am I”; and the “Exotica Medley” of “Tiny Bubbles,” “It’s Not Unusual” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” Newer charts include a bizarre cha-cha treatment of the theme from “Star Wars,” a lounge-style cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” and No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak.” The closing track, performed to “Dream Time,” introduces the band while background clink-and-chatter prove that the music comes from “the Enchanted Tiki Lounge of the Ramada Inn.” A retro collectible.

Originally Published October 1, 1999