A key quote from Doug Ferony’s website bio sums up everything we need to know about why he’s enjoyed a successful 30+ year career as a performer, vocal interpreter extraordinaire and recording artist. “What I enjoy most about standards and swing,” he says, “is that I can understand and relate to the lyrics. I pride myself in doing justice to lyrics and I try to bring a lot of passion and fun to the music.”
Though he’s recorded with large ensembles before, his 2024 album Alright Okay You Win is the first literally attributed to Doug Ferony with his Swingin Big Band, a 16 piece, dynamically arranged unit that helps bring to life both well-known and slightly obscure standards mostly from the Great American Songbook (“Do You Wanna Dance,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “Anything Goes,” et al), complemented by a hipster spin through the 70’s pop gems “We’ve Only Just Begun” and a tenderly heartfelt “Always On My Mind.”
Beyond his soulful voice, innate charm and Sinatra like phrasing and affability, what sets this winsome collection apart from most contemporary big band albums are Ferony’s eclectic repertoire and those tasteful, stylish and often exuberant arrangements by album co-producer Khadafy Khan, Clark Gault and Steve Kessler, with single tracks also arranged by Rod Levitt and Bill Cox (“It All Depends On You”) and Ed Greig, who adds a blend of light melancholy and witty gusto to Rodgers and Hart’s “I Wish I Were In Love Again.”
Another irresistibly heart tugging aspect of the project is having the singer’s daughter Sophia Ferony and niece Kat Ferony joining Jenny Saul on the playful, call and response background vocals of the title track. In addition to being a triumphant big band effort, Alright Okay You Win exudes classic old school cool like it’s nobody’s business.
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