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Michael Moss, publisher of Swing Time Magazine, loved Cynthia Bythell's singing.
He suggested that she combine her jazz vocals with a swing backup. "But,"
Moss said, "It's really got to jump." (Hmm ... sounded like a good idea.)
So Cynthia teamed up with award-winning arranger and tenor saxophonist, Susie
Laraine. Susie spent long hours at the computer putting together swingin' arrangements
of their favorite songs. The pair wrote a few new vocal tunes, too. And then
Cynthia wrote a few more.Susie called her friend Barbara Speed, an outstanding
alto sax player and arranger. Barbara came up with a few more arrangements and
also wrote some catchy instrumentals.
Moss had said that the band should have an "in-your-face" horn section,
so they added the fantastic Mack Horton on trumpet and the exuberant John Arnaudo
on trombone. (Hmmm . . . that should do the trick!)
Next they called in some of the hottest rhythm players in town: Tom Whitehead
on piano, Ned Boynton on guitar, John McArdle on upright bass, and Kevin Mummey
on drums. It wasn't long before Moss's brainchild really started jumpin'.
The band got fitted with shiny black zoot suits and black felt fedoras.Then
from San Francisco's coolest supper clubs to the Bay Area's hottest nightspots,
Lindyhoppers and Street Swingers everywhere gave Cynthia & The Swing Set
a big thumbs up. And they all played, sang, and danced happily ever after!
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