Swinging Standards

Take a trip down memory lane to before the birth of rock and roll. Experience music from the magnificent big bands and vocal stars of the big band era. Back then, Jazz and Pop was one and the radio stars of the day also were the dancefloor sensation. Let us bring you back to the early days of Frank Sinatra and the Andrew Sisters; Swing to the awesome power of the big bands from Glen Miller, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and many more.

Dick Maloney has an extraordinary ear for discerning the finest recordings that convey the rich textures and colours of romance. It’s a talent born of passion for the timeless standards, the music of the golden era of Hollywood, and of the genius of the likes of Gershwin and Porter.

In his youth, Dick’s idols included Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra. Such masters inspired his 40-something year career as a singer, entertainer and radio host. As a young man, Dick took to the stage, performing the popular music of the time at Ottawa’s Francais and Elmdale theatres. His velvet voice led him to appear on such national CBC TV shows as Cross-Canada Hit Parade and In Person. Dick’s knack for delighting an audience took him to New York City where he performed at Rodney Dangerfield’s club. He also appeared alongside Phyllis Diller on the Alan Hamel Show.

Dick’s career is a reflection of everything he loves. He has appeared in movies, written and recorded songs for films, released several acclaimed CDs, including Beautiful Beginning and The Melody Lingers On and hosted his own radio show in Ottawa. Until a tragic accident rendered Dick quadriplegic, he was a popular headliner on the Ottawa scene and was performing with his Swing Masters Trio in the Dick Maloney Room at Ottawa’s Monterey Inn Resort.

A self-described, “gold-plated romantic,” Dick is thrilled to bring his brilliantly researched treasure trove of standards to Galaxie listeners. Noting that his life is not defined by his tragedy, he says, “I look forward to what I can accomplish every day, and what I can share with others.” Galaxie listeners will certainly benefit from Dick’s eagerness to share his passion for the great vocalists.