Post Tagged with: "Saturdays in the Park"

Chicago, “String of Pearls” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “String of Pearls” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

The obscure bonus track “String of Pearls” was yet another line item on a long list of missed opportunities for Chicago.

Chicago, “Take the ‘A’ Train” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Take the ‘A’ Train” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Closing ‘Night and Day: Big Band’ triumphantly, “Take the ‘A’ Train” makes me wish Chicago had included more big-band covers on their earlier albums.

Chicago, “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago’s update of the Duke Ellington classic “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” is fun and lively, but could have been so much more.

Chicago, “In the Mood” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “In the Mood” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

This cover of “In the Mood” is one of the few times that the later edition of Chicago sounded like they were truly enjoying themselves.

Chicago, “Sophisticated Lady” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Sophisticated Lady” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

On an album that I often overlook, this update of a Duke Ellington standard is one that I never do. “Sophisticated Lady” sounded like a ’90s Chicago song.

Chicago, “Sing, Sing, Sing” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Sing, Sing, Sing” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Usually, “Sing, Sing, Sing” is played in a show-off arrangement to spotlight how fast a group can play together, but Chicago takes a different approach.

Chicago, “Blues In the Night” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Blues In the Night” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago’s terrific update of “Blues In the Night” is proof that artists don’t have to write their own material to offer originality and eclecticism.

Chicago, “Night and Day” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Night and Day” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

This beautiful Cole Porter update finds Chicago’s Jason Scheff singing with so much passion that you’d think he wrote it.

Chicago, “Moonlight Serenade” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Moonlight Serenade” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago reimagines a classic with a completely different tone and color, rather than merely rehashing a dime-a-dozen cover from the swing era.

Chicago, “Goody Goody” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Goody Goody” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park

The frustrating part about Chicago’s underrated ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ is that not many people – even long-term fans – ever heard it.