SUSIE ARIOLI SWING BAND ft. JORDAN OFFICER – It's Wonderful (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Even though this is the first album of her own, Susie Arioli is no newcomer to the vocal game. She has been performing in and around Montreal for several years, and the Susie Arioli Swing Band has also performed at the JVC Jazz Festival in New York. This maiden effort is a happy marriage of classic 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s standards with some non-jazz material. On the standards, Arioli follows firmly in the footsteps of such singers as Billie Holiday, Maxine Sullivan, Peggy Lee, and June Christy. Like them, no matter what she sings, Arioli conveys the lyrics of a song with sensitivity, understanding, and emotion -- just what one might expect to hear from a top-flight vocal artist who knows what she's about.

Arioli's interpretation of "I Cover the Waterfront" is done with a combination of mournful loneliness and hopeful anticipation. In his only appearance, Aaron Doyle plays trumpet figures underneath Arioli to help her set the mood. The album's coda, "Blue Prelude," is reminiscent of Nancy Wilson's 1963 recording. Arioli's version matches Wilson's for the down-in-the-dumps feeling, which comes from the "pain in my soul" caused by terminal heartbreak. Arioli also puts her accomplished snare drum playing on display during the session. On the non-classic standard side, "The Big Hurt" and "It's Wonderful" sound like 1950s pop imports and something that Joni James would be comfortable singing. "Trying to Get to You" by rockabilly star Rose Marie McCoy shows a down-to-earth side of Arioli. Snippets of country swing sneak in on her renditions of "Lover Come Back to Me" and "If Dreams Come True," and it works.

The Susie Arioli Swing Band is augmented by guest guitarist Jordan Officer, who makes immense contributions to the proceedings. He plays an old-style Harmony guitar that gives off a deep, resonant sound, much like a bass pitched slightly higher than usual; the guitar sets off Arioli's voice very nicely. Officer's soloing and Arioli's vocalizing are made more eloquent by the strong presence of Michael Browne's outstanding rhythm guitar. This is a very entertaining CD and hopefully a forerunner of many others to follow. Recommended. Dave Nathan   Tracklist + Credits :
 

SUSIE ARIOLI SWING BAND ft. JORDAN OFFICER – Pennies from Heaven (2002) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Pennies From Heaven, the Susie Arioli Swing Band's sophomore release, would prove to be Ralph Sutton's last recording session. The stride piano master appears on a hushed, haunting "Don't Explain" and a boogie-woogie romp called "Walter's Flat," composed by Arioli's fabulous guitarist, Jordan Officer, who again gets front-cover billing. Arioli's vocals are chipper and versatile, taking plainspoken delight in songs by Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and more. In a quirky twist, Arioli also serves as the band's drummer, softly tapping out four with brushes on a snare drum. Officer, bassist Solon McDade (or Colin Bray), and acoustic guitarist Michael Jerome Brown round out the group's offbeat, minimalistic lineup. Jeff Healey walks on for a Django-esque acoustic solo flight on "Having Fun," a Memphis Slim tune that one could imagine being sung by Patsy Cline. But the chief attraction is Officer, whose twangy, old-school archtop sound and sparse, witty phrasing suit everything from Nat King Cole-style swing ("No Regrets") to rockabilly ("Jordan's Boogie") to Chicago blues (Otis Rush's "Sit Down Baby"). David R. Adler   Tracklist + Credits :
 

SUSIE ARIOLI BAND ft. JORDAN OFFICER – That's for Me (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

That's for Me is the Susie Arioli Band's third release for Justin Time and it makes a specialty of a 1930s style of swing. With influences and a knowledge of repertoire from Leadbelly to Stuff Smith, from Tammy Wynette to Ella Fitzgerald, listeners seeking an array of rarely heard songs are sure to enjoy this great collection of music. Arioli's soft, sincere, charming voice is the perfect foil for Jordan Officer's acoustic and electric jazz guitar stylings which provide a hint of folk, light swing and country music flavors. The Canadian chanteuse has a very interesting voice that is reminiscent of Peggy Lee, Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette all rolled into one (check out "It's a Good Day," "Tess' Torch Sing" and "Why Do I.") However, Susie Arioli revitalizes and adds to these Great American Songbook standards and makes this music her own. Her treatment of "Mother Earth" as a soft blues that tells it like it is after your time is over here on earth shows her musical depth and knowledge of repertoire outside of her native Canada and well-known swing style. Rodgers & Hammerstein's obscure gem "That's for Me" features a memorable solo from Jordan Officer on acoustic guitar. The lyrics are very sweet and Arioli manages to seduce her listeners with a wispy interpretation of being attracted to someone she notices in the park! Overall, Arioli's choice to re-interpret these obscure songs, and to restyle them in such an appealing manner is quite an accomplishment. Vintage or not, on That's for Me, they speak to a different generation and provide a wonderful vehicle for Susie Arioli's talents as a vocalist and drummer. Paula Edelstein     Tracklist + Credits :
 

SUSIE ARIOLI BAND ft. JORDAN OFFICER – Learn To Smile Again (2005) APE (image+.cue), lossless

While singer Susie Arioli and guitarist Jordan Officer usually team up for renditions of Django Reinhardt-flavored swing classics, Learn to Smile Again is a change of pace. Most of the repertoire is taken from the book of Roger Miller (although "King of the Road" is bypassed), and this is a surprisingly natural fit since both Arioli (who has a quietly beautiful voice) and Officer have a real feel for vintage country/pop/folk music. Assisted by rhythm guitar, bass, quiet percussion, and the background vocals of Jason and Sheldon Valleau, this lyrical and heartfelt effort (which also includes two originals and the vintage "By Myself") is an offbeat success, logical in hindsight if not inevitable. Scott Yanow  Tracklist + Credits :

SUSIE ARIOLI BAND ft. JORDAN OFFICER – Live At The Montréal Jazz Festival (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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SUSIE ARIOLI ft. JORDAN OFFICER – Night Lights (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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SUSIE ARIOLI ft. JORDAN OFFICER – All The Way (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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SUSIE ARIOLI – Spring (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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