Ready, Willing and Mabel: Busy Line

"Busy Line" is the second excellent album by talented, mixed voice (2 men, 2 women) Vocal Jazz group R,W&M, who first came on to our radar with their wonderful set at the 2005 Harmony Sweeps Bay Area Regional. The LA-based retro quartet, who have been singing together since 2003, feature lead Caroline Mclean, alto Kate Walker, tenor Peter Neushul and bass Jim Campbell has taken the place of fellow "chord freak" Robert Clark. 15 nostalgic favorites, beginning with a "Fascinating Rhythm/Steppin' Out with My Baby" medley, the Gershwins' haunting "Shadow of Your Smile" from "The Sandpiper," Freddie Mercury's big fun Roaring 20s reprise "Seaside Rendezvous," Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," and another nice medley, "Let's Go to Brazil/The Gift," which has some non-vocal percussion and bass, and Cahn, Chaplin & Lunceford's "Rhythm is Our Business" is big band-accompanied. Irving Berlin's upbeat "Blue Skies," Bloom & Gallup's bluesy "Maybe You'll Be There" and Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time" round out the program. Murray Semos and Frank Stanton's title tune has some non-vocal bass and percussion, and Mandel and Bergman's "Where Do You Start" has some bluenote Saxophone. An entertaining, authentic (even down to the vintage clothing worn by the group in the liner notes pix), sweet-harmonied trip to another era from Ready, Willing & Mabel!