silverfalls

Award Winning
SINGER * SONGWRITER * MUSICIAN NOMINEE

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
The Queen of Swing™
Kelli Grant
  © (821137725624) (format: CD-R)

Kelli Grant's new neo-swing 11 cut CD, "Swing-a-Billy" has received 4 stars from around the world with French critic, Bernard Boyat proclaiming the CD, "superbes." There is one very important footnote here: Not only does Kelli Sing, write most of the songlist, did all of the arrangements but she PLAYED ALL INSTRUMENTS except guitar.

The CD kicks off with the romp stompin’ “swingin’” original title cut, “Swing-a-Billy” an autobiography of her musical career. With original lyrics, 4 verses long, (included) Kelli gives praise to her Mother for a unique gift that gave Kelli a signature style all her own. Since Kelli’s hands were too small at the age of 7 to play standard phrasing, her Mother taught her to play a walking 4/4 or “swing” bassline with her left hand, which is the bases and a testament to her title, “The Queen of Swing™” given to her by “Mr. Action” Roy Moss & Carl “Blue Suede Shows” Perkins.

However, the fun has just begun as a charismatic Swing version of “Goody, Goody” rivaling Benny Goodman’s hit, starts the ball rolling. No disappointments so far, as the Swing Queen ascends the listener to the CD’s magnificent original, “The Queen of Swing”.

If your foot is not tapping by now friends and neighbors,
call the Doctor cause you are obviously, “DEAD”.;o)

With a couple of R&B covers by musical legends, “The Drifters” and Ray Charles; “Drip Drop” and “Hallelujah, I Love Him So” Kelli takes you to another groove on an even higher plateau. Which I didn’t think was possible. Complimenting Ray Charles’ cover with the exact opposite meaning, Kelli wrote a very enjoyable story song that could truly catapult the CD into a Platinum arena. “Don’t Mess With Me” (side note: Kelli wrote / recorded “Don’t Mess With Texas” for the states litter campaign) leads you to 2 more of Kelli’s penned genius; “Boogie Woogie Stroll” and “Strut My Stuff”, a sassy little, I’ve had enough declaration. Although written from the woman’s point of view, the song can easily support either gender.

“Sometimes I Wonder” a pleasant transition set in a classic DooWop style for a nice slow or “stroll” dance, takes you back to the wonder of a lost love. We all transgress to the synopsis of wonder whether that lost love ever thinks about us. Back to the time when love was innocent as hearts were racing with excitement and raging with anticipation.

But just as you relax with the memories of “The Way Love Use to Be” (Kelli won an “Honorable Mention” from Billboard for R&B original same title) the whole thing explodes into a pulse driving revamp of Louie Prima’s, “5 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days”. Prima’s original consisted of the title line followed by “Hurry, Home Home Baby” vamp Prima was known for. Kelli wrote 3 verses giving the song a beginning and end. But the thing that will knock your socks off is the arrangement ... ALL Kelli. The music graduate; not only wrote the arrangement, but played ALL of the instruments: her signature style piano – bass, drums, Bari & Tenor Sax (2/3 parts) and Trumpet (2/3 parts). It’s a 4 minute swing revolution that will leave you hanging, and “swinging” from the chandelier in anxious anticipation for the next number. But, unfortunately that is the final cut.  

But Wow!!  What a Ride!!

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