Janet Klein was born in the wrong era. With her warm, lilting voice, flapper dresses and ukulele, she seems more suitable for the Roaring '20s than the world today. On "Paradise Wobble," she gives us a taste of the bygone era she pines for. Together with her Parlor Boys, a group of enthusiastic archival musicians, she has tenaciously re-recorded forgotten jazz tunes from 1919 through the '30s.
As a group of musicians who truly enjoy their craft, Klein and the Parlor Boys have breathed new life into the genre, while staying true to the music with unfaltering resolve. This is where they differ from the big band/swing resurgence of a few years back. Where bands like the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Cherry Poppin' Daddies added a rock 'n' roll spin, Klein and company strive for the genuine article -- neither kitsch nor gimmick. In other words, Klein restores the Model T Ford to its original condition, while the '90s swingers attempted to fit it with mag wheels.
Her coy chirping and crisp ukulele were sparsely accompanied on her first release, "Come Into My Parlor." "Paradise Wobble," however, has the Parlor Boys playing an integral part, filling out the empty spaces with washboards, coronets, mandolins and Hawaiian steel guitar. The sound is uncannily authentic. The only thing missing is the hiss and crackle of the gramophone.