Album Notes

"Jazz combo Steve Wolf & Swing Speak can indeed swing, as its name indicates, but it can also play straight-ahead jazz with the best of them." The Washington Post

After years of backing a legion of top local and national performers, some of Washington DC's finest sidemen have come together to form one of the Mid Atlantic region's finest swing/jazz ensembles. Swing Speak's repertoire reflects influences from American Swing & Jazz, Latin, Blues and even Gospel. Jazz aficionados will appreciate the finely honed musicianship of Swing Speak, but their style is listener-friendly and entertaining to audiences of all ages.

Named by Goldmine Magazine as "one of the best bass players on the East Coast," and a frequent WAMA (Washington Area Music Awards) nominee, Steve Wolf has been performing and teaching for over 35 years. Wolf has toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. Performance credits include stints with such notables as Danny Gatton, Tom Principato, The Nighthawks, Deanna Bogart, Ron Holloway, and a diverse group of national artists ranging from Chuck Berry, The Coasters and Bo Diddly to Doctor John and sax man, Clarence Clemmons. His well-respected work in the blues arena has led him to back Chicago blues legends Sunnyland Slim, Pinetop Perkins, Charlie Musselwhite, Bob Margolin and Guitar Junior. Steve has also garnered an impressive list of recording credits as both a performer and as a producer, including Swing Speak's 1998 award winning, debut recording "Well Spoken."

Drummer Barry Hart is a technical master, who is as much fun to watch as to listen to. His solid work has landed him gigs with the likes of: The Tommy Dorsey Band, The Ink Spots, Bob Hope, Lou Rawls, The Drifters, Little Anthony and the Imperials and Cab Calloway. Since Hart and Wolf first played together while backing Danny Gatton, they have both sought out every opportunity to practice their brand of rhythm section magic.

Since moving to DC from North Carolina in 1981, saxophonist Bruce Swaim has solidly established himself as one of the "first call" elite on his instrument. He is a regular in area recording studios and has performed with Tom Principato, Danny Gatton, The Spinners and Washington Jazz legend Keter Betts.