When 1995’s Night & Day: Big Band was released I was still reeling from the realization that what would become Stone of Sisyphus was not going to see the light of day.
I was still a relative newbie Chicago fan and had been discovering the past catalog chronologically, enjoying the evolution of the group from the raw energy of 1969’s Chicago Transit Authority to the carefully crafted and formulaic songs of 1988’s Chicago 19. I was starving to continue this journey into the ’90s and beyond.
Upon learning that the next album to be released would focus on the big-band era, I was disappointed. I knew Chicago would be able to kill anything they did. They were the most musically diverse band I had ever heard and this seemed to be right up their alley. However, the thought of no new music was still a major disappointment after hearing all of the talk surrounding Stone of Sisyphus.
Of course, as a Chicago fan I still purchased Night and Day when it was released and hurried home to take a listen at what my favorite rock and roll band with horns could do to big band music. I put in the compact disc and listened to the first 30 seconds or so of each song before skipping to the next one. Each track was what I expected: Chicago killed it, but Night & Day didn’t feature any new music and didn’t initially feel very musically adventurous.
Then the first few measures of “Sophisticated Lady” hit my ears. As a 19 year-old rock fan, I wasn’t familiar with this old Duke Ellington jazz standard, but what I was hearing sounded like a new song. From the beginning, this sounded like a ’90s Chicago song.
The groove was smooth and easy, accented by subtle guitar and beautifully arranged horns. Jason Scheff’s subtle vocals sound completely in their element, proving once again that he shines when allowed to be himself. Robert Lamm gives a smoky vocal performance that gives the whole song a smooth contemporary feel, while remaining respectful to the original composition.
On an album that I often overlook, this song is one that I never do.
- Chicago, “90 Degrees and Freezing” from ‘Chicago XXX’ (2006): Saturdays in the Park - October 23, 2021
- Chicago, “Show Me a Sign” from ‘Heart of Chicago Vol. II’ (1998): Saturdays in the Park - August 14, 2021
- Chicago, “Sophisticated Lady” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park - May 29, 2021
