When trumpeter and educator Brett Dean was earning his master’s degree in conducting and music education at Butler University, he received a piece of advice that would quietly shape his future. Director of Jazz Studies Mark Buselli told Dean and his classmates that when they entered the professional world, they could either work hard as members of someone else’s band—or start their own. Dean took that advice to heart. In 2007, he launched the Shout Section Big Band, an 18-piece powerhouse devoted to keeping big band swing vibrant, relevant, and joyfully alive.
Since then, the Chicagoland-based ensemble has become a fixture across Chicago and the Midwest, known for its tireless work ethic, constant gigging, and infectious energy. Their fifth album, Tatum’s Swingin’ Session!!!, captures the band at full throttle, pairing their brassy precision and playful swagger with vocalist Tatum Langley, a Chicago jazz standout and longtime band member whose charisma and vocal range light up every track.
The album’s title is a knowing wink to Frank Sinatra’s 1961 classic Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!!!, and the spirit is just as buoyant. Across 14 tracks, the Shout Section Big Band draws from a deep well of swing-era classics, Great American Songbook gems, and clever reinterpretations, brought to life through classic arrangements by legends such as Frank Foster, Frank DeVol, Jon Harpin, and Buddy Bregman. These are complemented by sharp original charts from SSBB trumpeter John Dorhauer and one contribution from Buselli himself.
Langley and the band make their intentions clear from the opening blast of “Deedle’s Blues,” famously associated with Diane Schuur. The tune gives Langley free rein to show off her multi-octave range and thrilling scat artistry, setting a high-energy tone that carries through the record. Cole Porter’s “Ridin’ High,” an anthem of resilience from the Great Depression, follows with a stylish optimism that feels just as vital today.
The album journeys through multiple eras and moods with ease. Langley and SSBB explore the breadth of Peggy Lee’s catalog, from the soulful sophistication of Cy Coleman’s “That’s My Style,” to the playful charm of “All the Cats Join In,” and the frolicsome swing of “You’ve Come a Long Way From St. Louis.” John Dorhauer’s inventive arrangement of “Sing” cleverly fuses the Dresden Dolls’ dark cabaret edge with the Carpenters’ sunny singalong, allowing Langley to balance sensuality and grandeur in equal measure.
Elsewhere, Langley’s cool, confident scat on Arnett Cobb’s “Smooth Sailing” invites inevitable comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald, while “Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe” rolls along with irresistible charm. Romantic subtlety shines on “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘Till You,” before the band leaps forward in time with a barn-burning swing reimagining of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” The collection closes on a high note with Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top,” while the LP edition adds the haunting ballad “The Masquerade Is Over,” featuring some of Langley’s most understated and beautiful singing.
Behind Langley’s vocals is a formidable roster of soloists, including guitarist Ben Crino, saxophonists Ted Holtz, Bill Rank, Andy Schlinder, Michael Kennedy, and Jimmy Farace, trombonist Nick Roach, and trumpeters Dorhauer, Andrew Egizio, and Will Schmalbeck. Together, they embody the meaning behind the band’s name: the shout section—the loudest, most electrifying moment of a big band arrangement.
Under Dean’s direction, the Shout Section Big Band has steadily expanded its repertoire beyond traditional swingdanceable fare to include music from the ’50s and ’60s and even big band takes on contemporary pop by artists like Huey Lewis and Meghan Trainor. With members ranging from their mid-20s to late 60s, the band has entertained audiences everywhere from swing dances and weddings to festivals, schools, and corporate events. Along the way, they’ve appeared on WGN, WBEZ, The Vampire Diaries, and even performed 1940s swing for the launch of Amazon Prime’s A League of Their Own.
Tatum Langley’s own résumé is just as expansive. A Chicago native, she’s performed everywhere from intimate jazz clubs to iconic stages like the London Palladium, Sydney Opera House, and Royal Albert Hall. Outside of SSBB, she tours globally with Postmodern Jukebox, leads her own cabaret productions, and remains a beloved presence on the Chicago jazz scene.
Tatum’s Swingin’ Session!!! is a celebration of that shared fire—boisterous, joyful, and deeply rooted in the tradition of big band swing, while sounding thrillingly alive in the present moment.
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