Rhapsody Quintet - "The Melody Lingers On"

The Melody Lingers On is not a new CD. It was released in 1998. But it came across the Atlantic Gig's desk a few weeks ago, so we decided to review it. Personally I'm glad we decided to review this CD. It's something different. Something new. And something exceptionally good. Rhapsody Quintet consists of seven people. Well actually it consists of five instrumentalists (who hail from Symphony Nova Scotia) and two guest singers. That's how they get quintet out of it. Semantics aside, this is a great recording. When I listened to The Melody Lingers On I imagined myself sitting on my deck with a martini in hand. That's the kind of music this is. The songs are traditional salon classics and theatre music. And traditional does not mean Celtic. I'm talking about songs composed between 1906 and 1947 for the glitzy New York crowds. This is music from the time when songs always told stories and the arrangements were as important as the lyrics, the performance, and the music itself.

The Melody Lingers On was recorded brilliantly at Solar Audio by Hayward Parrott. The playing is flawless and the vocals are stellar. It is obvious that a lot of care went into this recording. The songs were well chosen and the treatments are faithful to what I imagine the originals were like. The band also has a music video that appeared on Bravo, although I am not sure what song is featured. If you are a fan of traditional jazz and early 1900s theatre and salon music, this is a CD that must be added to your collection.

The Melody Lingers On gets 16 out of 19

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