Jack Frost And The Frostbites – “Songs From The Back Of A Truck” (no label)
It all began in 1981, when several teenaged “band guys” from Altoona Area High School first climbed into the back of a beer truck with their instruments and rode around town, performing Christmas season song favorites “from the back of a truck” to bring cheer to anybody they happened upon. They dubbed their group Jack Frost and the Frostbites, based on a children’s book. They have reconvened in the back of a now-decorated truck to serenade neighborhoods during subsequent holiday seasons ever since. For this past holiday season, their 43rd, the current Frostbites lineup – tenor sax player and bandleader (a.k.a. “Jack Frost”) Scott Lovell, Rich Stroud on tenor sax, trumpeters Jeff Livermore and Steve Saive, drummer Rick Guyer, percussionist Brian Somers, Scott Durbin on bells, Bill Wolf on trombone, Scott Woomer on baritone, Fran Hite on keys and singer Dawn Igoe – have released their eight-song debut album, “Songs from the Back of a Truck.” Recorded by Dave Villani in the Sanctuary (a former church space) of ArtsAltoona, the album was recorded mostly live and captures the Frostbites’ upbeat blend of musical flavors spanning jazz and big band, rock’n’roll, country, international touches and even an original polka. Listeners will hear solid musicianship, joy and enthusiasm as the group performs their horn-driven variations on time-tested Christmas season favorites and one original holiday number. “Jazzed Up Jingle Bells” welcomes listeners with a bright, swing-edged spin on the perennial yuletide favorite, followed by a driving rendition of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The Frostbites show their versatility with “Rudolph Samba,” with Fran’s keys leading into a Brazilian-flavored version of the popular ode to Santa’s bright-nosed Christmas Eve hero. While most of the album is instrumental, Dawn and Fran blend their voices on a duet rendition of the Elvis Presley-popularized “Blue Christmas.” A slight New Orleans vibe flavors the Frostbites’ take on Brenda Lee’s 1958 hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” before the group celebrates Jose Feliciano’s contribution to the Christmas song catalog, “Feliz Navidad.” Peppered with shouts of “Jack Frost!” is the group’s original creation, the swaggering “Jack Frost Christmas Polka.” The album finishes with the group’s delightful mash-up, the “Grandma Got Run Over by Frosty Medley,” with Rick’s drums and “Thumpety thump thump” gang shouts providing the playful transition between songs. This is a fun album, Jack Frost and the Frostbites’ joy and energy radiate throughout the set; you can tell these musicians were having a good time recording it. The recording space of the ArtsAltoona Sanctuary gives these renditions depth and fullness, allowing Rick’s drums and the horns to boldly shine. “Songs from the Back of a Truck” provides a boisterous and fun holiday season listening experience, whether you listen to it ‘from the back of a truck’ or while putting up decorations and trimming the tree next holiday season. (The album can be accessed through online digital outlets, or the CD can be purchased through the group’s website, www.altoonajackfrost.com.)