Lily Wilde Music Reviews

"Great jazz and blues big band swing! This CD is one of those sneaky surprises waiting out there in the swing music scene. Striking out from Portland, OR, Lily Wilde has produced a phenomenal album of big band swing, perfect for listening and dancing. Backed by the full Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra, Lily Wilde lays out a series of tracks that capture the swingin' feeling of the big bands of the 1950s, like Billy May and Count Basie. It's jazzy swing with the soul of the blues...in other words, the genuine swing article, not some rock band that just stuck on a few horns and called themselves a swing band. Lily Wilde knows her musical history and knows what she likes, and that means you're guaranteed to like it as well. Lily Wilde's voice is supremely soulful and powerful, reminding a bit of Ella Fitzgerald and Helen Humes (one of Count Basie's best female singers), but separate enough to have her own identity. She does a great job with such swingin' classics as "Mister Five by Five," "Work Baby Work," and "Oh Babe!" (my personal favorite cut from the album). These all swing smooth and very danceable, and should get a whole room of picky swing dancers jivin' and wailin'. I also enjoy the humorous "Rip Van Winkle." Lily slows it down and gets soulful and torchy on "Since I Fell for You," (the best slow number on the album) and a beautiful version of "Stormy Weather." The band itself swings hard in a very Basie-like style, sounding like the legendary "Atomic" band from the 50s. This is most noticeable on a stand-out, mid-tempo instrumental, "Go Ahead and Rock." It's an infectious piece. Swing fans who haven't heard Lily Wilde need to get their hands on this gem while it is still around. It's guaranteed to get you dancing again after you've worn out all your "Swing Session" albums".

"I love this album - I live in Oregon and am a swing fan (I have 20+ swing albums). A coworker let me listen to this album and I was hooked. I was surprise to find out that Lily Wilde is a local artist. If you like swing music sung by a good female artist then I think you might really enjoy this album. This is definitely on of my favorite albums. Heartily recommended"!

"Lily Wilde & Her Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra are Big Time. We couldn't have been more delighted to learn that Lily won the first ever "Single Of The Year" Swing Award with "Oh Babe". Her CD, "Insect Ball", is nothing but hits - one after another, after another. This is the level of work we're going to have to have to break 21st Century Swing into the mainstream. Orchestrations, performances and production that would stand with any of those who preceded them. This Wilde Girl is the One".

"This Portland swing band is excellent. Their large band provides a full solid swinging sound, and Lily's singing alternately soars and soothes. They cover a lot of my favorite Buddy/Ella Johnson and Ella Mae Morse songs and do them very well! No other band I know covers these songs. Great choices. This band would undoubtedly be great to see and dance to".

"Hi Lily, Got the CD and loved it! Thanks for keeping the music & stylings of Ella Mae, Ella J, Dinah & Sarah alive. And you have one great Big Band"!

Bo Lewis - Big Band Dance Party

"This is one of (if not *the*) best debut CDs I've ever heard -----. As a DJ & Swing instructor I've never heard a debut album this polished before. Sound is tight, the vocals will send you, and if you've never danced before--you'll be dancing anyway. Tempos are perfect for East Coast Swing & Lindy Hop (from a beginner level to a "let's sweat!" :) -- this is one album I highly recommend, and use frequently in class for teaching. If you like Bill Elliott, desire their tightness & musicality, but desire a more earthy, jump-blues inspired selections of tunes that really swing (from fast tempos to really seexxy blues numbers), this is it. A big influences for this band is Ella Mae Morse (who Lily sounds similar to). Check it out, you WON'T be disappointed. Also, if you ever make it to Portland, OR be sure to catch them here. They are hands down, the best swing band in town".

Jeff Freeman - swingout.net

"So I'm playing Lily's new release in my office and other staff members come by and they want to borrow it when I'm done. Does this give you some indication as to its appeal?"

"Wilde and her orchestra re-create not only the sound but the scratchy, rich feel of America's analog Golden Age."

"Resident blues diva Lily Wilde makes it seem she was actually present in the era when jump blues resounded from jukeboxes all over town and in Northeast Portland clubs. She is a solid deliverer of her feelings throughout without screeching like many of today's so-called blues singers who are nothing more than ex-rockers. Wilde does this while at the same time letting us know she is having fun."


READ ALL ABOUT IT! Lily and her JJO win "Single of the Year 2002" from SwingTop40.com at the SwingAwards! "Great jazz and blues big band swing! This CD is one of those sneaky surprises waiting out there in the swing music scene. Striking out from Portland, OR, Lily Wilde has produced a phenomenal album of big band swing, perfect for listening and dancing. Backed by the full Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra, Lily Wilde lays out a series of tracks that capture the swingin' feeling of the big bands of the 1950s, like Billy May and Count Basie. It's jazzy swing with the soul of the blues...in other words, the genuine swing article, not some rock band that just stuck on a few horns and called themselves a swing band. Lily Wilde knows her musical history and knows what she likes, and that means you're guaranteed to like it as well. Lily Wilde's voice is supremely soulful and powerful, reminding a bit of Ella Fitzgerald and Helen Humes (one of Count Basie's best female singers), but separate enough to have her own identity. She does a great job with such swingin' classics as "Mister Five by Five," "Work Baby Work," and "Oh Babe!" (my personal favorite cut from the album). These all swing smooth and very danceable, and should get a whole room of picky swing dancers jivin' and wailin'. I also enjoy the humorous "Rip Van Winkle." Lily slows it down and gets soulful and torchy on "Since I Fell for You," (the best slow number on the album) and a beautiful version of "Stormy Weather." The band itself swings hard in a very Basie-like style, sounding like the legendary "Atomic" band from the 50s. This is most noticeable on a stand-out, mid-tempo instrumental, "Go Ahead and Rock." It's an infectious piece. Swing fans who haven't heard Lily Wilde need to get their hands on this gem while it is still around. It's guaranteed to get you dancing again after you've worn out all your "Swing Session" albums". Ryan Harvey "Wolf Shadow"ÊÊ "If I could give this CD more than 5 stars I would"!! Fatboyswing (Edinburgh, Lothian United Kingdom) "I love this album - I live in Oregon and am a swing fan (I have 20+ swing albums). A coworker let me listen to this album and I was hooked. I was surprise to find out that Lily Wilde is a local artist. If you like swing music sung by a good female artist then I think you might really enjoy this album. This is definitely on of my favorite albums. Heartily recommended"! K. Rule (Beaverton, OR USA) "Lily Wilde & Her Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra are Big Time. We couldn't have been more delighted to learn that Lily won the first ever "Single Of The Year" Swing Award with "Oh Babe". Her CD, "Insect Ball", is nothing but hits - one after another, after another. This is the level of work we're going to have to have to break 21st Century Swing into the mainstream. Orchestrations, performances and production that would stand with any of those who preceded them. This Wilde Girl is the One". Alan "The Ol' Spin Daddy" White - SwingTop40,com "This Portland swing band is excellent. Their large band provides a full solid swinging sound, and Lily's singing alternately soars and soothes. They cover a lot of my favorite Buddy/Ella Johnson and Ella Mae Morse songs and do them very well! No other band I know covers these songs. Great choices. This band would undoubtedly be great to see and dance to". Ron Bloom swingorama.com "Hi Lily, Got the CD and loved it! Thanks for keeping the music & stylings of Ella Mae, Ella J, Dinah & Sarah alive. And you have one great Big Band"! Bo Lewis - Big Band Dance Party "This is one of (if not the) best debut CDs I've ever heard -----. As a DJ & Swing instructor I've never heard a debut album this polished before. Sound is tight, the vocals will send you, and if you've never danced before--you'll be dancing anyway. Tempos are perfect for East Coast Swing & Lindy Hop (from a beginner level to a "let's sweat!" :) -- this is one album I highly recommend, and use frequently in class for teaching. If you like Bill Elliott, desire their tightness & musicality, but desire a more earthy, jump-blues inspired selections of tunes that really swing (from fast tempos to really seexxy blues numbers), this is it. A big influences for this band is Ella Mae Morse (who Lily sounds similar to). Check it out, you WON'T be disappointed. Also, if you ever make it to Portland, OR be sure to catch them here. They are hands down, the best swing band in town". Jeff Freeman - swingout.net "Whenever I play Lily's CD, I always get instant phones asking 'Who is That?'" Bob Ancheta - KINK-FM "So I'm playing Lily's new release in my office and other staff members come by and they want to borrow it when I'm done. Does this give you some indication as to its appeal?" Mary Burlingame - KMHD-FM "Wilde and her orchestra re-create not only the sound but the scratchy, rich feel of America's analog Golden Age." Zach Dundas - Willamette Week "Resident blues diva Lily Wilde makes it seem she was actually present in the era when jump blues resounded from jukeboxes all over town and in Northeast Portland clubs. She is a solid deliverer of her feelings throughout without screeching like many of today's so-called blues singers who are nothing more than ex-rockers. Wilde does this while at the same time letting us know she is having fun." Dick Bogle - The Scanner Home - Lily -Gigs - TOP - Buy CD - Contact - Hear - Links