The Cat Pack

“Here’s an alley pack waiting to stroll down your street and rip your soul to shreds. Brilliant.”

Keith Ames - Official Journal of the Musicians Union, ‘Musician’ magazine, Summer 2006 issue

“Storming and stirring standards from the numerous governors of big band boogie trading under the name of The Cat Pack on Raucous Records. Based in Leeds and featuring the arrangements of drummer Richard Blanchard and guitarist/singer Darren Juvie, the band serve up 16 tracks of party music guaranteed to fill the floor and enthuse the heart. Opening with a powerful take on ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’ and stepping through inspirational brass masterworks on ‘Lady Bad Luck’ and ‘On Revival Day’, through to a clever rhythmic lowdown on ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ with the crystal vocals of Katie Ashby, here’s an alley pack waiting to stroll down your street and rip your soul to shreds.
Brilliant.”

“From the opening instrumental this reminded me of The Brian Setzer Orchestra. I remember him starting a CD with ‘Hawaii 5-0′. The Cat Pack open with ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’; it settles you down gently for the joy to come because then it’s straight into ‘Honey Hush’, and we’re away. The opening bars with Richard Blanchard’s piano and Darren Juvie’s guitar over the solid beat set the old head bobbin’ and the feet tappin’, and then the orchestra come in. A great sound, and for me a great version.

Next we hear one of the two female vocalists, Lisa George singing a bluesy ‘24 Hours’, then it’s into a bit of boogie-woogie and this sets the mood for the rest of the CD. Every number switching between swing to blues to boogie-woogie with a choice of vocalists between Darren Juvie, Roman Marek, the two girls, Lisa George and Katie Ashby, and Martyn Savage so there is plenty of variety. The songs just swing along from one to the other.

Without a doubt these are all very talented musicians, there are 35 of them pictured inside the inner sleeve, and together they make a great sound.

There are 16 tracks on this album, two of which are original and every one is a winner, favourites for me would be ‘Did He Jump’ and (Louis) Prima’s ‘Oh Babe’, but there’s not a bad track on it. The more I got into it the more it reminded me of the time I ventured North to see this band. It was just like being at the gig. Must get to see them again soon.”

“This big band has a big sound to match its size.. That’s all 35, yes I said “Thirty Five” members giving you a sound that’s a mixture of the 1940’s, the 1950’s with today’s top rockin’ sounds. You’ll be blasted with the sizzlin’ red hot sounds of Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker and Wynona Carr add that to some outstanding piano pumpin’ from Richard Blanchard, and some extraordinary fantastic guitar work and vocals from Darren Juvie. And once you’ve listened to this you’ll never forget the unmistakable vocal chords ofÊMiss Lisa George. This is another I gotta have album, because your CD collection will not be complete without.”

“The short intro of The Man With The Golden Arm sets the scene for this album by The Cat Pack 2 trumpets 4 trombones 2 saxophones (Editor - not including overdubs on this track - actual line-up; 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 5 saxophones), drums, bass, guitar and pianoÉ. Big beat big sound big band with tracks ranging from ‘Honey Hush’ to ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ through ‘It Aint What You Do’ this is well presented, great sounding get up and dance good time music. Intricate and imaginative arrangements of some classic rockin’ make this a CD of pure class. A bit of everything on this album all rockin’ styles covered all treated to a big band sound that apart from the obvious swing/blues orchestras that wont be mentioned this album is incomparable to anything that I have heard recently, I would love to see this live. With emotive vocals from Darren Juvie, Lisa George, Roman Marek and Katie Ashby with some pretty hot self penned numbers and a spattering of un-sung covers, ‘On Revival Day’ not one you hear a band do often, if at all. On the inside of the cover there are pictures of no less than 35 musicians and vocalists quoted as being the people behind the music well that’s a production and a half. There are infectious tracks that get your feet tapping and your love of the music pumping through your veins then there are tracks that ooze sex and get your love of a better half pumping through your veins every track will see you with a new emotion. Now musically I wouldn’t know a crotchet from a quaver but I know what I like and I loved this although quarter to midnight and headphones is definitely not the way to listen to this album its almost sacrilege not to share this album.

So now Mad Rat Team I am claiming this CD as my personal property. Possession is nine tenths of the lawÉ GO BUY YOUR OWN! This CD is available from RaucousRecords.com (RAUCD180). Can someone tell me what the CD launch party was like, oh yeah and when you have listened to track 16 don’t be in too much of a hurry to turn it off… Mad Rat Missus says she can’t pick a favourite and she definitely can’t find a weak track. There’s not a bum note or even spelling mistake and the cover picture is cute too.

Mad Rat Rating 4/5 - you lose a point for launching it so far away! (Mad Rat are based in Essex - the launch night was in Brighouse, Yorkshire)”

“Finally, in this mini review, we have The Cat Pack.  Clearly, this has to be a kind of co-operative as the liner notes reveal that no less than thirty-five singers and musicians were involved.  However, generally there were circa twenty artists on any one track.  With that amount of people, it is no surprise therefore that the sound emanating from these recordings is that of big band rockin’ swing and boy does it swing.  The band really cooks and there are mixture of vocals and instrumentals.  Special mention must be made of the lady singers who demonstrate a remarkable aptitude for this style of music.  Lisa George is outstanding on Wynona Carr’s ‘Please Mr. Jailer’ as is Katie Ashby on Nancy Sinatra’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’.  With regard to the last mentioned, on Nancy’s version, the record is faded out just as the backing band launches into the exciting riff.  In the hands of The Cat Pack, they take that riff, then build on it, and really start to cook.  Marvelous stuff, as indeed is the whole album.  (Thought, this outfit will be just ideal to back Lloyd Price at the Rhythm Riot on November 2006, they are that good).”

“This latest album from this Yorkshire based Big Band is once again overflowing with powerhouse energy and in-your-face swing. It features 16 tracks including original numbers and new interpretations of classic tunes. Led by the mercurial Richard Blanchard The Cat Pack draws from all generations of Big Band music. This most recent offering leans mainly towards rhythm and blues - so if you enjoy rolling back the carpet and jump jiving around the living room this is most definitely for you. The opening number, the rarely heard but impressive Elmer Bernstein theme, ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’ sets the mood, and is followed by the opening vocal number, ‘Honey Hush’ featuring Darren Juvie on vocals and guitar.

Lisa George is impressive on all her vocal tracks, ‘24 Hours’, ‘Mr. Jailer’, ‘Revival Day’ and ‘Walk Right In’. Lisa’s voice is ideally suited to deliver this style of music and she gives it her all. Other vocalists on the album include Martyn Savage, Roman Marek and Katie Ashby, who performs a sophisticated version of ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’. Also on this album is a well-crafted instrumental number featuring bandleader and pianist Richard Blanchard which asks the question, ‘Did He Jump?’. Answer: I most certainly did.”

“If Richard Blanchard’s ‘Big Heat’ shows what you can do with a fairly small ensemble, then imagine what he can do with his ‘Cat Pack’, a 35 (give or take a few either way) piece rock’n'roll orchestra! To listen to this, make sure you are well strapped in, in a comfortable chair with plenty of supportÉbecause even at low volume, the noise this lot makes will blow you away! The Cat Pack’s output is far more commercial than The Big Heat’s and whilst us rock’n'roll fans would be hard pushed to think of a club with a stage big enough for them, there ARE venues and a huge fan base out there that loves this type of swinging big band stuff. If you’ve not heard them before then brace yourselves, because the first track, ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’, sets a precedent that even the band can only just live with. It’s a big number and just left me gasping at the enormity of it all. Other tracks include a very bluesy version of ‘Honey Hush’, ‘Three Cool Cats’, ‘Dig That Crazy Chick’, ‘Dance The Bop’ and ‘Walk Right In’ as well as the title track amongst others. Because of the size of The Cat Pack, it’s easy to get away from the fact that these guys can actually play and at times rock up a real storm. Awesome CD, and I doubt if many other bands could even begin to compete. Excellent.”

“Having had appetites well and truly whetted with the excellent six tracker, ‘Everybody Wants To Be A Cat’, here comes a full-length album of jump blues, boogie and swing by The Cat Pack. ‘It Aint What You Do’ contains sixteen tracks from the heyday of chrome-plated caddies and heavily-padded shoulders, and it’s very good indeed. It would have been rude not to include material from the Joe Turner and Louis Prima songbooks, of course, but to cover Lee Hazlewood’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ and (Elmer) Bernstein’s ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’ demonstrates imagination to go with the talent. With loads of brass, slap bass and Gretsch guitars, The Cat Pack are a big band with a big, big sound. It’s only rock’n'roll, as they say, but you can’t help but like it.”

“Leeds based big band, The Cat Pack come back stompin’ with their follow up CD to their debut release ‘Everyone Wants To Be A Cat’ (RAUCD 130). Led by pianist Richard Blanchard the featured vocalists are Darren Juvie, Lisa George, Roman Marek, Martyn Savage and Katie Ashby.
Opening with ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’, Elmer Bernstein’s theme from the movie of the same name (which starred Frank Sinatra) the Pack swings, roars jumps and stomps through a sixteen track set of covers and originals including Joe Turner’s ‘Honey Hush’, Leiber and Stoller’s ‘Three Cool Cats’, Louis Prima’s ‘Oh Babe’ and ‘Dig That Crazy Chick’, Andy Razaf’s ‘On Revival Day’ and, I have to say an out of left field revival of Lee Hazlewood’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ (ok maybe it doesn’t surpass Nancy Sinatra’s sass but Katie Ashby does a pretty fine job).
Originals include Darren Juvie’s swinging ‘Lady Bad Luck’ and trumpeter Steve Parry’s composition, the bluesy instrumental ‘Paul’s Shuffle’ featuring a whole mess of fine honkin’ from tenor player Paul Corry.
Oh, by the way, don’t reach for the remote immediately after the last track, as there is a reprise of ‘The Man With The Golden Arm’. If you have their debut set you’ll certainly want this superb offering, if like me you were blown away by their live show then you don’t need any further encouragement.”

“This is another I gotta have album, because your CD collection will not be complete without.”

Mike Cookson - Nifty 50’s website (March 2006)

“Marvelous stuff, as indeed is the whole album.”

Tony Wilkinson - American Music and UK Rock magazines (May 2006)

“This latest album from this Yorkshire based Big Band is once again overflowing with powerhouse energy and in-your-face swing.”

Steve Garner - Big Band World magazine (Issue 19, May 2006)

“Without a doubt these are all very talented musicians, there are 35 of them pictured inside the inner sleeve, and together they make a great sound.”

Pete Green - Blue Suede News magazine (issue 108, June 2006)

“With loads of brass, slap bass and Gretsch guitars, The Cat Pack are a big band with a big, big sound. It’s only rock’n'roll, as they say, but you can’t help but like it.”

Ian Marriss - Juke Blues magazine, (Issue 61 / 2006)