As soon
as "Nothing Personal" begins with Johnny Martin
(http://www.johnnymartin.com) introducing himself to
both his audience at the time - this LP was recorded
from a 2002 concert in Portland, Oregon - and the people
worldwide listening to the CD, an image of a young Dean
Martin quickly sprung to mind. Packed with swagger and
old-school cool, Martin is one smooth
talker.
Although the swing revival came and went
seven years ago, many of the artists who brought the
genre back really weren't authentic, compromising the
classic qualities of swing with modern touches, either
in the production or in the songwriting. Martin, on the
other hand, sounds as if he just stepped from a time
machine, traveling from a black-and-white world with
martini in one hand and a broad in another.
From
the moment Martin kicks the party off with "You Make Me
Feel So Young," we're in his world. It's a sharp, classy
affair, and Martin's engaging personality bursts through
in Technicolor. Most live albums aren't intimate; too
often they are contractual filler. But "Nothing
Personal" has a you-are-there immediacy to it. One can
feel the energy from the stage as Martin's top-notch
rhythm section delivers the goods; listen more closely
and you can almost smell the perfume from the ladies
nearby.
|
"Nothing Personal" is a gas. It
provides good times from beginning to end. "Old Devil
Moon" is particularly bewitching, and if you aren't
hooked on Martin's crooning from the first two tunes,
you'll be possessed by "Old Devil Moon."
"Get
away from my tip bar, buddy," Martin slyly warns between
songs. By keeping all of the dialogue instead of editing
them out, you became a face in the crowd - and an
extremely happy one at that. |
