Rod Stewart with Jools Holland

ALBUM RELEASES

Swing Fever

Rod and Jools proudly out themselves as swingers on this gloriously upbeat album.

Backed by Jools’ Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Stewart takes on classic big band numbers like Pennies From Heaven and Ain’t Misbehavin’.

On paper it sounds bizarre but, from the opening track Lullaby Of Broadway on, the collaboration works like a dream.

It’s a joyous mix of nostalgia, charm and rough-edged class.

Where else are you going to hear tap dancing along with piano solos on a 2024 album?

Massive in the 1930s, swing had its roots in jazz, but shares chunks of its musical DNA with early rhythm and blues, which in turn evolved into rock ’n’ roll.

Like Jamaican Ska, swing is instantly infectious and the duo give a 60s Ska feel to Love Is The Sweetest Thing.

Pennies From Heaven – performed by everyone from Billie Holiday to Bing Crosby – sounds just as fresh, timeless and uplifting. Rod has stepped outside of his rock confines before, on his multi-platinum American Songbook series, tackling standards like It Had To Be You.

The difference is there are no ballads here.

The band surge gleefully through Louis Prima’s Oh Marie, the bluesy Sentimental Journey and the happy-go-lucky rocking swagger of Night Train.

There are 13 tracks, all recorded live except for the vocals, and ending with Pee Wee King’s country rocker Tennessee Waltz. Heartbreak has never sounded so much fun.

Nothing feels forced.

You can hear how much the ensemble are enjoying themselves on numbers like Almost Like Being In Love and Elvis’s Good Rockin’ Tonight.