ALBUM DESCRIPTION

**WARNING - NOT REGGAE** ......but it IS "world music." Jazz and big band are indigenous American styles, so we figured this could still fit under our umbrella.

Act the Scat was Ranked in the top 12 best Christian records of 2001 by Campus Life. Click here to read the review by Mark Moring: http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2001/2001bestof-mm.html

ALBUM REVIEW
There's a very strong undercurrent of buzz surrounding this group, and for good reason. Denver & the Mile High Orchestra plays Big Band music, an entirely new genre for Christian Music. We've never really had any artists that truly fit this category before now. So naturally, the first of anything in Christian Music is always a big deal.

Denver & the Mile High Orchestra is a twelve-member group fronted by lead singer/trumpeter Denver Bierman. Within the context of Big Band music, the group expands the definition of that genre to include music that dips a toe or two into various other musical genres, such as jazz, swing, r&b, rockabilly, and there's even one song with some Latin sounds ("Rhythm of My Heart"). Like any new genre of music, at first it defies description, so to be honest, I'm having trouble coming up with ways to describe it. But in a word, it's fun, and it's completely unlike anything you've ever heard in Christian Music.

Denver's vocals are smooth and jazzy, not entirely unlike those of his musical influences: Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick, Jr., and others. The band is made up of highly-skilled, classically-trained musicians, and it shows. The seven-member horn section alone packs a serious punch. Put together, the various pieces of Denver & the Mile High Orchestra come together into a cohesive sound that you're not likely to forget anytime soon.

Top Picks: "Act the Scat," "Confrontations," "God's Eye View," "Corduroy Blues," and "It Is Well With My Soul."
Pros: It's new, it's different, and it fills a gaping hole in the Christian Music canon. Plus, the guys just sound amazing.
Cons: None worth noting. The Verdict: Terrific new music with a new sound performed by some ridiculously talented newcomers. What's not to love?
My Score: 4.5 stars.

Review by Robin Parrish

Also available in the store - "Stand" - Denver & The Mile High Orchestra's second album.