SCARLETT, WASHINGTON & WHITELEY
Reviewed by Diane Wells
Ken Whiteley produced this tasty collection of beloved swing, blues, traditional jazz and downright quirky "novelties" spanning the Roaring '20s and earlier right up to their current original compositions, which remain popular today.
Although the tracks are instrumentally enhanced, the gang stays true to the original renditions, as opposed to "rocking" them up, as Van Halen (with David Lee Roth on vocals) did on songs like "I Ain't Got Nobody" (Graham/Williams/Peyton) and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Jimmy Cox). "Singing in the Rain", sung by Jackie Washington, was first popularized by the late, charismatic dancer-crooner-actor Gene Kelly. As well, it was ironically featured in the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's insightful and prophetic "Clockwork Orange" film in the mid-'70s, so its popularity, specifically is long-running.
All three players contribute lead and harmony vocals, with Mose Scarlett shining on "Mose's Moon Medley", with Ken on slide guitar and ukelele), comprised of the early classics, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" at its twin, "Shine on Harvest Moon". I'm sure I originally heard both of these numbers on cartoon episodes of "Bugs Bunny"! Ken Whiteley demonstrates his songwriting skills on "Gas Up My [Mercury] Comet".
Speaking of songwriting, Psychedelic Pfolkster Brian Gladstone's regular sidekick, Tony Quarrington, a tremendously talented but modest musician in his own right, collaborated with Mose on "Your Old Used to Be", but unfortunately does not perform on Sitting on a Rainbow.
This breezy, string-heavy (guitar, ukelele, banjo, mandola, mandolin and bass) CD comes to a finale with "Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep", a grandiose singalong featuring a slew of additional vocalists, including Brent and Liam Titcomb and Victor Bateman, the latter also contributing on string bass, alternating with George Koller and Ken's son, Ben Whiteley.
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