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Since his
college days, Eddie has been singing his way into the
hearts of many fans across the North Texas area.
His
appreciation for the great love ballads and catchy swing tunes of a
generation ago has allowed him to develop into one of the “smoothest
voices” in any working band today. You will love his unique vocal
style!
"I grew
up with swing, jazz and the great American standards playing in my
home. Although my mother taught each of her four children to
appreciate the melodies and harmonies of that beautiful music, the
love of music that "struck a chord within me" lay dormant for many
years. When I was invited to join The Classic Swing Band a few years
ago, I was delighted to finally have the opportunity to sing the
music I grew up with and share my heart through these songs of love
and life!"
Eddie and The Classic Swing Band are available for
dance parties and functions, wedding receptions, corporate events
and festivals - any function that needs live music and a great
variety dance band in Dallas / Fort Worth or anywhere in Texas. |
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Midland Reporter-Telegram
Sunday, July 25, 2010
In the limelight - Hot Summer Nights: Eddy Irving and
the Classic Swing Band
By Graham
Dixon
An unspoken, friendly competition exists between the Hot Summer
Nights series on Friday nights in Odessa and the Museum of the
Southwest Sunday night lawn concerts. It is one that Odessa appears
to be besting its neighbor in by leaps and bounds.
At 7.45 p.m. last Friday the park was packed for “Eddy Irving and
the Classic Swing Band,” and by the time they started, there was
little room left for the customary chairs and blankets. Obviously
the quality reputation of this band is known — and it is a well
founded one.
Most groups take at least a couple of songs to warm up before they
reach full performing energy. Irving and his band are an exception,
laying into “Can You Imagine How Much I Love You” at full, sultry
blast. Irving has a great voice, ideally suited to this type of
music. Crooning at one point, reaching down for near baritone notes
at the next — he is one of those singers who brings both feeling and
technique to songs. Every word was clearly intelligible, and with
them, each change of emotion.
Irving even brought something new to songs as familiar as
“Summertime.” From a languid mellowness to a type of seething energy
— you could almost touch the sensuous atmosphere of a humid
deep-South summer.
The lead singer has the perfect backing setup, with steady drums,
base and keyboards providing the platform for Tom Leper, who excels
on everything from trumpet to flute to trombone. Leper’s
contemplative, haunting version of John Lennon’s “Norwegian Wood”
echoed the songwriter’s ambivalence towards the extra-marital affair
that he was writing about.
But the overall feel of the evening was a perhaps naïve — but
irresistible — celebration of perfect romantic love. In “The Way You
Look Tonight,” Irving dove deep below his normal range for the
“you’re lovely” — reaching a soft and yet gravelly note that seemed
to express the quiet amazement a man can feel when looking at a
beautiful woman.
Ending the first set with “Fever,” the audience clicked their thumbs
with remarkable accuracy, but a male voice can never quite express
the sensuality of this song. While it was originally sung by a man,
it is Peggy Lee that made it her own.
The second half started with an upbeat version of Van Morrison’s
“Mood-dance” — just as the moon was serendipitously rising above the
trees to light the park. Irving’s voice was gorgeous during “Amazing
Grace,” while Leper’s reflective flute expressed the melancholy
undertones of “The Look of Love.” During this song the dance area
was quite full — couples lost in their own worlds, barely moving to
the gentle rhythm of the music.
Irving said their last song would be a “celebration of a serial
killer” — something that perked the interest of several children
around me, including my son. The unmistakable tones of “Mack the
Knife” soon rang out — perhaps the most irresistibly fun song ever
written about mass murder. Irving showed some acting ability as he
seemed possessed by the delight in violence that permeates this
song.
For an encore, “Eddy Irving and the Classic Swing Band” gave us “On
the Sunny Side of the Street” — a rollicking end to a lovely evening
of entertainment. Whatever mood individuals had arrived in at the
beginning of the evening, they left the park happy, whistling,
optimistic about life — at least for a while.
You can ask no more from a band.
Congratulations to Main Street Odessa and OCA&H for bringing such a
great act to the city for a free evening of music. The only
disappointment was Irving ended his concert at just after 9.30 — I
think many in the audience were ready for at least another hour — or
two. |
