Step into a world of refined elegance with local band Chucktown’s latest album, Vintage. This meticulously crafted collection of cocktail lounge jazz music offers a sophisticated journey through ten impeccably arranged cover tracks.
The band, Chucktown, was formed six years ago by longtime friends, pianist Larry Ford and guitarist John Bercik, who get together and play music twice a week from 2 p.m. until midnight, Bercik said. The duo is passionate about recording their music using real instruments and guest musicians.
“We started doing these more jazz-funk style albums, and we thought of it as kind of like a Steely Dan thing, where it’s two guys that do all the writing and arranging, and then we bring in different musicians to add different parts,” Bercik said.
“We’ve always worked with the live musicians — a lot of bands now are very digital loop based. It’s really important to us that the instruments speak for themselves in our music, because a lot of albums nowadays get very muddy with all the instruments being crushed into one sound.”
Led by the virtuosity of Larry Ford on piano and the soulful saxophone melodies of Steve Joy, like on the opening track “The Way You Look Tonight,” each song on Vintage showcases a fusion of styles, ranging from Latin-inspired rhythms to contemporary jazz grooves.
Adding to the allure are the intricate guitar stylings of Paul Gelpi and the velvety vocals of guest artists Charles Grant and Tamara Fitzner. Vintage offers a captivating blend of polished compositions and timeless allure, whether you’re drawn to the nostalgic charm of yesteryear or a contemporary twist on classic jazz.
Ford said this is the band’s best work yet. “In terms of selection of material, production quality and the great performances by the musicians — It’s just really a great album to listen to.”
Vintage is available to stream on Spotify, or you can purchase the CD at Monster Music & Movies. Learn more at chucktownband.com.
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