The Buckinghams The Greatest Hits and More (Live)

Above the crowd of CDs released by bands that hit their heyday 40 years ago, "Standing Room Only" is a pleasant surprise and great live album. Buckinghams founding members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna still have what it takes; their youthful appearance and sound seems it's 1967 all over again. These Chicago natives took the horn band sound to a new level in Old Town in clubs along Rush Street and hot spots like The Holiday Ballroom, the Vogue Ballroom, and Dex Card's The Wild Goose.

The best cuts on this live album are "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," "Kind of a Drag" (great horns), and Carl Giammarese's solo on "I Knew You When." Nick Fortuna does a great job on "Expressway to Your Heart" and "Domino," while Carl takes a turn on the bass to "Tighten Up" in the bridge of "Domino." Tom Scheckel's drums make "Susan" a great performance number and power the energy of the entire live concert. Bruce Soboroff's great vocals on "Gimme Some Lovin'" remind you of Michael McDonald. Bob Abrams gets the crowd going with his version of James Brown's "I'll Go Crazy." With legendary Chicago DJ Biondi introducing the group to the crowd, it's definitely a good add to the collection.

It's a re-release of The Buckinghams' "Live and Well" CD on the Fuel2000 national label, so if you already own "Live and Well," don't duplicate. This is the one to buy for all the old hits, done live.