Review of “Game Changer” by the 8-Bit Big Band

Game Changer (Teamchuck) grabbed my ear right away not because I care even slightly about video games, but because it just sounds great. The material is new, it swings, and the musicians sound like they’re having a blast.

This is the fourth album from the 8-Bit Big Band. Their shtick is giving tunes from old video games the full big band treatment. On Game Changer, they add nearly a full orchestra. On tunes like “Can You Feel the Sunshine?,” a trite ditty from a Sonic the Hedgehog game becomes an awesome full-scale Broadway showstopper.

I’m not a gamer, so I’m hearing this fresh with no nostalgia. And it mostly holds up. Many of these little jingles from video games are concentrated nuggets of pure catchy melody. “Pollyanna” from the Mother/Earthbound game, for example, is loaded with hooks. Vocalist Alan H. Green brings a gospel touch, backed by a choir and close to 90 musicians, delivering convincingly the sunny optimistic lyrics. The original is a saccharine children’s song.

Tributes keep the music connected to familiar jazz and pop styles. Vocalist Benny Benack III makes “You Wouldn’t Know” (from a Lego game) sound like Harry Connick and his band, or more generously, Sinatra and Basie. “I Wanna Take You for a Ride” (originally a mere 15-second loop) has a funky horn arrangement that sounds like Tower of Power. Jonah Nilsson on “Last Surprise” has a strong Stevie Wonder influence.

Not all of it works with this maximal treatment, and the ballads can limp into smooth jazz territory. But leader and arranger Charlie Rosen earns praise for his imagination and creativity, joining the tradition of jazz musicians who spun gold out of nursery rhymes and novelty songs of the day (see Louis Armstrong transforming “Jeepers Creepers”). Next level achieved!

(Originally published on the Arts Fuse, February 1, 2024)