Peaches and Crime

Peaches and Crime are tapping into a new genre that might be called “dark Americana.” On their new CD, “Do Bad Things,” they take us back to Victorian and Edwardian Vaudeville to celebrate some dark and funny territory.

The CD is structured like a turn of the 20th century vaudeville show, complete with introductions by master of ceremonies Daniel Z. Black (real name: Daniel Schwartz) and vocals by the mysterious Angie Diamond (in real life, Schwartz’ wife Angela) and Ms. Abigail Pins.(Julia Adams,) along with Young Catherine (Cat Macdonald), who also plays clarinet. The other members of the band are bassist”Honest” Stephen Longfield and pianist Mike Sclafani (aka former boxer Mikey the Fist0, and drummer Ross Bennett. Writing and performing in skits is Charles Berman (The Professor.)

Now that you’ve met the group, what should you expect? Nothing like you’ve ever encountered before.

Musically, it’s a wild mix of blues, jazz, klezmer and polka. Thematically..well, there’s a prison work song called “Death Row Swing,” a klezmer tune that is highly danceable about a violent enforcer in Eastern Europe called “Herschel Ganev.” the very literal “You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down,” and the run for the border tune, “”Cuando Yo Escapo.” Add to that the secretive relationship saga of “Alibi Dancer,” and the aptly named “Bringing Hell to Brooklyn” and you get the dark part of things. As for the skits, take “Matchmaker,”about a woman who knows what she wants and has a unique plan to get pncit..even if its one piece at a time.

But what is not so easy to explain is that this stuff is funny. Very, very funny. It’s like Nick Cage with a wicked sense of humor. The closest I can think of to this type of music is Voltaire. It’s that kind of sense of humor.

And it’s very, very well done.

This is an extraordinary mix of musical skill, theater, and sheer lunacy and it’s brilliant. Just listen to it. You will love it or hate it, but I guarantee you will not be indifferent to it. - MakingaScene.org

Peaches And Crime – Do Bad Things

(Peaches And Crime Records)

Did your mother warn you against running away to go on stage? If so, she’d probably heard of these guys. Out of upstate New York – without doubt some kind of disreputable dance hall – circa 1935, they describe their approach on the back sleeve of this CD as “Vaudeville Variety Show”, which conveys rather less than the half of it.

Don’t be fooled for an instant! I doubt they know how to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Why, even the piano player is called Mikey The Fist and I’m pretty sure that’s not the name on his NYPD record. They’re pretty twisted – they sing like angels but I can’t shake the suspicion that they might even dare to try to corrupt The Andrews Sisters.

They do things like jailhouse work songs, warped klezmer, crazy polkas, Cab Calloway styled jazz and some hokum-ish vaudeville blues, interspersed with spoken comic skits, just like the real thing (not that I would know, of course, I’ve just been told about it). Chances are you’d enjoy this, but don’t let your mother catch you listening to it – she probably wouldn’t be happy. I’m off to confession right now…

Norman “Guardian Of Morality” Darwen - bluesinthenorthwest.com

Peaches And Crime are the brainchild of Daniel Schwartz and his wife Angela. Their three-part harmony evident throughout is completed by the dynamic voice of Angie Diamond. Their third release, “Do Bad Things,” is a fine ensemble piece that spins tales of love lost and found, crime and punishment, and many varied musical styles from jazz and blues, to even polkas and a klezmer song! These variations in styles make the whole set come across as an old-time vaudeville show committed to wax!

Highlights for us were the leadoff “Alibi Dancer,” given the full-on “torch” treatment from Angie, the beautiul ballad, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” while the women reprise a “Weekend At Bernie’s” scenario with “Cuando Yo Escapo”and the disposing of a dead body!!

The loss of her lover leads our heroine to start “Bringing Hell To Brooklyn,” with revenge as the motive in this minor-key masterpiece where “Satan better step aside!” And, on a related note, actions and their consequences are documented in the somber call-and-response of the “Death Row Swing!”

Peaches And Crime and “Do Bad Things” bring to life a bygone era where there is an ensemble cast of players who all get in on the act. This is indeed a unique, unusual set that is well-worth checking out!! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow. - donandsherylbluesblog.com

Local vaudeville-inspired band Peaches and Crime will host a murder mystery musical Sunday at Antonio's Galleria and Café in Endicott.

The original show, titled "Dinner Date with Death," was written by Daniel Schwartz and features the band acting out the roles as well as providing the musical soundtrack. Audience members will get the chance to guess who perpetrated the "crime" and win prizes.

Cocktail hour is at 4 p.m., and the performance begins at 5 p.m. A dinner will be served during the intermission.

Tickets to "Dinner Date with Death" are $30 and can be purchased in advance at Antonio's, or call 748-6269 to reserve seats. Antonio's is located at 100 Oak Hill Ave. in Endicott. - Press and Sun Bulletin

Great Entertainment for the entire family! Talented mix of Music, dance, humor...and even juggling! Vaudeville...they are bringing it back with a vengeance! Very Professional ensemble! Thoroughly enjoyed their performance at our event and I look forward to seeing them again!!!! - S. G. Promoter for Music for the Mission Concert Series

Be transported back to a 20s/30s speakeasy with Peaches and Crime. Whether the sultry “Cold, Cold Man,” the toe-tappin’ “Monstrous Deeds Rag” or the irresistibly sing-along-able “I’ll Take the Rest,” Peaches and Crime’s debut is as much an adventure as an album. Just be sure to swap your digital watch for your grandfather’s pocket-watch so you don’t inadvertently spoil the mood.
- Bailiff Quimby, fan on iTunes

Be transported back to a 20s/30s speakeasy with Peaches and Crime. Whether the sultry “Cold, Cold Man,” the toe-tappin’ “Monstrous Deeds Rag” or the irresistibly sing-along-able “I’ll Take the Rest,” Peaches and Crime’s debut is as much an adventure as an album. Just be sure to swap your digital watch for your grandfather’s pocket-watch so you don’t inadvertently spoil the mood.
- Bailiff Quimby, fan on iTunes

And oh what a display it is. Where does one start with such a unique sound and idea. I would guess at the beginning. Peaches and Crime aka P&C is a neo-vaudeville musical of sorts. Though there isn't an actual musical per say, it's set up as if there was one, done in the vaudeville style, complete with an MC or Master of Ceremonies if you're not up on your musical jargon. Each song has an intro and a bit of back story which enhances the stage show feel of the songs. And they're great songs. I won't pretend I immediately fell in love with every song the first time I heard them, but I do have favorites. The song writing and composition is amazing in that it truly feels as its period music at times, and the sultry vocals of Ms. Angie Diamond with additional vocals from Mr. Mickey Six String sell the authenticity of the music. The songs encompass a variety of genres from swing, to calypso to a good old fashioned ragtime tune, and as crazy as that all sounds it works perfectly. Along with Ross on the drums, Young Catherine on the clarinet, Abigail Pins on the trombone, Big Baby Jake on bass, Squeezebox Jones on accordion and ukulele and Danny Black as their master of ceremonies P&C is something that needs to be heard.

It’s a great group with an interesting neo-classic sound. It also helps that they look like they stepped out of a gangster movie and that's just the beginning. On stage they explode in a visual feast of dancing, singing, and a bit of comedic charm to further draw the audience in, but it's the music that really sells this group. I won't call them a band, because they're not. If I had to describe them as a neo vaudeville/Broadway/modern swing act. Every song sounds like it should be part of a soundtrack for something much larger, and they have aspirations of growing larger. Here's hoping they get some more resources and make this thing into something truly big, as it's a unique sound and look, and there's so much potential for greatness. Peaches and Crime: The great Display is definitely a must for those looking for something to get away from the ho-hum dime a dozen musical artists coming out today. In this day and age where everything old seems to be new again, P&C's sound is new with a large infusion of old to make for something completely unique.
- Brian "Jiinx" Daniel @ www.beyondhollywood.com

"Listening to "The Great Display", by Peaches & Crime, proved to be an equally interesting and bizarre experience. Production and presentation wise, they have taken cleverness and creativity to a new level. {From that aspect, the disc was a masterpiece.}

There's no doubt about it - fame's in this bands future."

- Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro

"Listening to "The Great Display", by Peaches & Crime, proved to be an equally interesting and bizarre experience. Production and presentation wise, they have taken cleverness and creativity to a new level. {From that aspect, the disc was a masterpiece.}

There's no doubt about it - fame's in this bands future."

- Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro