Johnny Nocturne

The Johnny Nocturne Band: Nothin' Wild & Cool

by Ed Kopp
August 1, 1999

The Johnny Nocturne Band is a nine-piece swing outfit from the San Francisco Bay area led by Alaska native and tenor saxman John Firmin. A horn-driven group, the Nocturne Band also features smooth singer Brenda Boykin, a jazzy crooner with a deep, full voice. Wild & Cool is sophisticated, swingin' and fun.

These musicians are well-schooled jazzers, and the vibe is right out of the late '40s, early '50s. This group straddles the line between bop, swing and blues, and ...