Spotlight on Jazz & Swing Bands in London
London has a rich and vibrant night-life and caters for a wide range of musical tastes and genres. In this article we’re going to look at some of London’s best jazz and swing bands; but not those with a lucrative recording contract and a fan base spanning the globe. Oh no… we’re going to have a look at London’s gigging bands, the real grafters of the music industry.
The Jive Aces:
The Jive Aces are one of London’s most energetic live acts performing a repertoire of jazz, swing and jive classics from legends such as Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Glen Miller, as well as a selection from the man who brought popular music kicking and screaming into the twentieth century; George Gershwin. This six piece band feature male lead vocals, trumpet, trombone, sax, clarinet, drums and double bass and have electrified audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Jive Aces have worked with both Van Morrison and Isaac Hayes and even took time out from their busy schedule to take part in BBC’s Children in Need event. The best thing about the Jive Aces is even you can book them for any function or event and have become one of the best loved wedding bands London has to offer.
Swing City:
Celebrating their tenth year as one of London’s hardest working jazz bands, Swing City deliver their unique arrangements of big band and swing classics with style, enthusiasm and panache. The ten piece band consists of tenor and baritone sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, bass, drums and of course vocals. The band has an impressive pedigree, with members having graduated from London’s best music colleges and former members of the New York Jazz Orchestra and the BBC Big Band.
Swing City are one of the more unique wedding bands London has to offer and gained a celebrity fan after performing at Terry Wogan’s daughters wedding in 2004. Swing City can be booked for weddings, birthdays and almost any other event. Their repertoire consists of ‘rat-pack’ classics, big band, swing and even jive versions or modern pop hits.
In The Mood:
In the mood are an incredibly talented and versatile jazz & swing band based in London. Their repertoire consists of many big band, jazz and swing classics including ‘Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps’, ‘Fly Me to The Moon’ and of course, Glen Miller’s ‘In The Mood’. Able to assemble a six to nine piece band consisting of vocals, bass, drums, guitar and of course that essential horn section and playing hits spanning eight decades means In The Mood can play something for everyone, from George Gershwin to Stevie Wonder to Amy Winehouse. They have appeared on BBC TV and have worked as session musicians for both Elton John and Russell Watson.
This young and energetic band are available to hire for weddings, birthdays and corporate events throughout London and the South East and are guaranteed not to disappoint.
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Posters: Dizzy Gillespie Poster – New York City Jazz (36 x 24 inches) £2.99 … |
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Cool Jazz £4.00 Grrove to the sounds of your party with this Cool Jazz Guitar swizzle stick!… |
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Honda Jazz (2001-2008) Tailored Black Car Mats £15.90 These are perfectly tailored car mats for the Honda Jazz (2001-2008) Made using a car manufacturers approved carpet. The Carpet is crush resistant, tough, strong, durable yet tactile and flexible. The back of the mat utilises a granulated rubber backing which prevents slipping. This is a complete set of four mats. Mats will not have the logo on as displayed in the picture…. |
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Brass Rock 1 ~ Remastered £8.02 … |
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The Jazz Singer [VHS] [1981] £5.99 Back in 1927, The Jazz Singer entered the history books as the first true, sound-on-film talking picture, with Al Jolson uttering the immortal words, “You ain’t heard nothing yet!” But even then it was a creakingly sentimental old yarn. By the time this second remake showed up in 1980 (there was a previous one in 1953) it looked as ludicrously dated as a chaperone in a strip club. Our young hero, … |