What is Rat Pack Jazz?

As a live-music contractor Frank Lamphere came up with the name Rat Pack Jazz to describe his performance content and style.

"Swinging Frank Lamphere vocal renditions of jazz standards, Frank and Dean and 1930-60s pop. Rat Pack Jazz is performed with a band comprised of hand-picked, industry renowned jazz musicians and presented in an exciting, classy, dynamic, and audience engaging, show-like manner" 

Many jazz bands and jazz singers have a set way of performing a standard (song). Play it or sing it once through (straight with little deviation from the melody), then allow the band to play it (often numerous choruses) before the lead instrument or singer returns to play/sing it all the way through, once again. Snooze. Frequently, they play songs (hardcore jazz) that most people don't know or understand, and play it in a way that doesn't engage the audience (even if demonstrating a high level of technical ability). These performances whether in a nightclub or private affair come off more like a jam session for the musicians themselves rather than for the benefit of the listeners. This performance type has its place but is often sadly out-of-place. As a consequence, jazz music (it's been written) is "consumed" by only about 5% of the American population (usually males).

Rat Pack Jazz has the "right" combination of great songs, first-rate performances, superb sound quality and perhaps above all, great pacing. Listenable yet entertaining. And, as serious an event as a Rat Pack Jazz live performance is, there is no pretentiousness. Frank and his band are able to laugh at a missed note or false start. They're not in a recording studio even though at times the music is so good that it may seem like a CD is playing. Example right (here)

Frank Lamphere's musical performance philosophy can be summed up in a few sentences.

"Too much of any one thing can get boring, quickly. Therefore, my show repertoire is a mix of swinging jazz standards of varying tempos (slow, mid, fast), keys and instrumentation with Latin (bossas, sambas, rhumbas) songs & arrangements, semi-authentic sounding mid-1950s to late 60s pop rock songs, blues, waltzes, French and especially Italian songs. I cover a lot of ground"

"The mix is about 80% vocals to instrumentals. The instrumentals are tasteful, entertaining and don't go on forever with seemingly endless bass and drum solos."

"Like a creative musician, I try to sing a song differently each time."

"The band must be outstanding. Only the highest caliber of jazz musician (subjective, I know) with many years of professional experience, will ordinarily be on my bandstand. This music is extremely difficult to play well. If there is even one musician in the band that is not capable enough, the whole thing goes down in quality. The band as well as the musical performance suffers in this kind of scenario."

"The sound has to be equally excellent. I'm referring to equipment such as microphones, speakers, EQ, mixers, keyboards etc... This is an aspect that is severely misunderstood by many in the business."

"My goal while performing is to entertain, to earn the attention and to create the right musical setting (whether show or background) for those present."

"I have my own sound and style. Sure, my approach to certain elements of singing will undoubtedly have some Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jack Jones in them, but I have gotten beyond the impersonation phase of my career. There is rarely anybody better than the original artist, and I prefer not to attempt that. Unless it's for a laugh. Laughs are good!”