In the follow-up to 2007’s Swingin’ in Daddyland, Lewis Franco & The Missing Cats offer more of their signature sound with All in Stride, creating mostly original tunes that blend together swing styles such as gypsy, jive, bebop, Dixieland, jump blues and ballads. Vocal arrangements feature close three-part jazz harmonies, and lyrics offer a light touch to topics such as the financial meltdown, global warming, addiction, community, and not taking oneself too seriously. Praise for Swingin’ in Daddyland The Missing Cats’ family-oriented recordings have recently garnered high praise on a national level, from USA Today to Downbeat Magazine. “Stomp, Stomp” was featured on the award-winning “Jazz Playground” world music compilation, released in March 2010 on the Putumayo Kids label. In his review of Swingin’ in Daddyland, Dan Bolles of Seven Days called Franco “a masterful songwriter,” praised The Missing Cats for “serving up some seriously hot swing,” and deemed the album “a rock solid swing record.” Rob Williams of Vermont Commons said, “Lewis Franco is one of Vermont’s best-kept musical secrets,” calling him “one of the Green Mountains’ most gifted musicians, a performer who is able to wrap well-crafted lyrics around catchy musical melodies, and possesses the guitar chops and musical sensibility to match.” Origins of The Missing Cats Lewis Franco has been playing with virtuoso guitarist and collaborator Dono Schabner since 2001, creating music influenced by Django Reinhardt, Nat King Cole, Fats Waller and others. In 2005, they were joined by the incomparable Will Patton on mandolin, naming their band “The Missing Cats” (an homage to The Cats & the Fiddle, an obscure vocal rhythm string group from the 1930s). The recent addition of Clyde Stats on upright bass has rounded out the band and completed their unique sound. Lewis Franco and the Missing Cats have been performing together for over six years at venues such as The Big Picture in Waitsfield, The Brick Church Concert Series in Williston, The Music Box in Craftsbury, the Langdon Street Café in Montpelier, and The Ripton Community Coffee House in Ripton, as well as the Middlebury Festival on the Green, Valley Stage Music Festival and the Champlain Valley Folk Festival. About the Album As Franco explains, All in Stride marks a departure lyrically, but not musically, for the band. “In the past we’ve done a lot of songs about parenting and children, because of the influence of my kids on my songwriting. But with this album we wanted to delve into deeper territory, exploring mature themes without losing the sense of whimsy and fun in the band’s musical sound.” Franco says the experience of recording the album is his favorite part of the songwriting process. “With swing music there’s a fair amount of improvisation built into the songs, so it’s really exciting to hear what choices the other musicians make in the studio – you never know quite what you’re going to get. And although we work hard, these guys are also a lot of fun, so there’s plenty of goofing around during the sessions. We have a good time together, and I think that comes across in the final result.”