Album Notes

“What ties together the Albany, NY-based Doc’s pre-rock repertoire—drawn from swing, R&B, jump blues, jazz and show tunes—are a hip sensibility, a soulful heart and a big dance beat. In sum, the raw ingredients of rock ’n’roll.” —Seth Rogovoy, The Berkshire Eagle, Massachusetts Doc Scanlon's Rhythm Boys announces the release of their new CD, Rumble Seat. The disc showcases their own brand of musical style, incorporating Big Band Swing, Jump Blues, Jazz, Motown, Latin and Rock elements. Over the last 22 years they have become a well-known, crowd-pleasing attraction at community events such as Albany's First Night, SPAC 's Freihofer Jazz Festival and summer concerts at the Empire State Plaza. They have toured to international acclaim in Russia and Finland. The Rhythm Boys have appeared in concert with such notables as B.B. King, Asleep At The Wheel and will be featured with The Count Basie Orchestra at this year's Tulip Festival on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 14, 2000. In 1998, the City of Albany honored the Rhythm Boys with a "DOC SCANLON'S RHYTHM BOYS DAY" to celebrate their 20-year anniversary. Their infectious, dance-oriented music has also made them part of the wedding and party scene, and they have helped launch many successful nuptial voyages. A year in the making, Rumble Seat, a collection of 13 songs, was recorded at three local Capital District studios: Cotton Hill, The Bomb Shelter and Rockwell's, and at Scanlon's versatile saxman Bruce Berky's own personal studio in Rhinebeck, NY. It was definitely worth the wait. The material explodes with high energy and emotion in songs from the playbooks of Fred Astaire (Steppin' Out With My Baby), Glenn Miller (Tuxedo Junction), Ray Charles (Unchain My Heart), Chuck Berry (You Never Can Tell), Elvis Presley (Paralyzed) and the Temptations (The Way You Do The Things You Do) as well as obscure gems from Louis Prima (Oh Babe, Hey Girl!, Ooh Dadilly Dah), The Cats & The Fiddle (One Is Never Too Old To Swing) and Buster Poindexter (Ondine) and two New Orleans R & B classics (Sea Cruise, The Rockin' Pneumonia). Rumble Seat evokes an era filled with the sounds and sights of partyers freewheeling down the road in the car with the top down, sitting in the rumble seat (a seat in 1920's and 30's roadsters in lieu of a trunk). The album showcases all of the band members, especially newest Rhythm Boy, guitar-vocalist Don Young from nearby Schuylerville, NY who has brought a fresh energy and vision into the band. Don formerly played with longtime area roots-rock/newgrass band Stony Creek, and has freelanced with numerous jazz, rock and country units. He has also performed on numerous albums by various local and regional talent.