Yalloppin' Hounds

Deriving their moniker from an enduring jest shared by players in Illinois Jacquet & Big Band, the pop-friendly Yalloppin' Hounds rank among the hardest-working outfits on the New York swing circuit. This seven-piece ensemble fuses hip-hop sensibilities onto classic swing rhythms under the direction of its two founders, saxophonist and bandleader Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno together with former Toasters trumpeter Brian "the Sledge." Both Cavaseno and the Sledge previously served in Illinois Jacquet & Big Band; from childhood onward they have performed in various groups while testing the boundaries of swing. Traces of Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong surface throughout their sound. The band's first album, Ghetto Swing Extreme, appeared during summer 2000.