‘Forever Swing’ a welcome big-band revival

Joe Delaney

Friday, March 23, 2001 | 9:41 a.m.

Dean Regan's "Forever Swing" is a well put-together big-band musical revue in the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts through Sunday, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

It follows the fictitious Tommy Vickers Band as it plays in various ballrooms and nightclubs on tour. Act II has the band in uniform during World War II, broadcasting from the London Palladium.

Trumpeter/band leader Gary Guthman portrays Tommy Vickers, fronting an excellent 12-piece band, onstage throughout, playing some of the outstanding songs of the Big Band era, with soloists, vocalists, dance teams and a street dancer named Ivan Velez, aka Flipz, who is a standout.

Guthman's No. 1 trumpet influence was obviously the late Harry James.

Among the James' recording classics, faithfully reproduced and executed, are "One O'Clock Jump," with its cascading-trumpets ending, "All Or Nothing at All," "Trumpet Blues," "It Seems To Me I've Heard That Song Before," a rollicking "James Session" and "I Had the Craziest Dream," six numbers out of a total of 26.

Tommy Dorsey is represented with "Opus One," "Song Of India," "Well, Get It," and a moving rendition of "I'll Never Smile Again," a show highlight with a vocal by Michael Buble. Gabrielle Goodman's version of "My Man" was a la Patti LaBelle, a compliment. She also did nicely with "And the Angels Sing," "A Tisket a Tasket" and "I Had the Craziest Dream."

Trumpeter David Lawton scored both vocally and instrumentally with "Gotta Be This Or That" and "I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo." Clarinetist Tom Colclough gave a virtuoso performance on a special arrangement of "Tico Tico." Buble was also well-received with his Tony Martin-like vocal on "Begin the Beguine" and in a duet with Heidi Biang on "Slow Boat to China."

Kelleigh Miller performed a sensuous dance as a fire-eater on "Song of India." Debbie Timuss had some Carmen Miranda moments with "A-Yi-Yi-Yi-Yi, I Like You Very Much."

Those present had a very good time, especially those who could relive the precious moments when they first heard these big-band classics.

Regan deserves to take a special bow for his work as creator, director and choreographer. If you are a fan of the big bands of the 1930s and 1940s, this is a special treat.