Current Swing Bands

[happyfilmluvguy]

Who have you heard, seen, know, spoken to, whatever it is, who is amongst your favorite current swing and jazz singers and groups of today?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

The U.S. Air Force "Airmen of Note"

If you ever get the chance to see these guys doing their 'Glenn Miller' show, jump at the opportunity! Man, these cat's can swing!

-dixon cannon

 

[The Reno Kid]

If you ever get the chance to see these guys doing their 'Glenn Miller' show, jump at the opportunity! Man, these cat's can swing!

-dixon cannon

I saw these guys a few years ago in Heidelberg Germany. What a show! They were terrific. If anyone ever gets a chance to see them, jump on it.

 

[Fletch]

Buncha NCOs in officers' uniforms. What's up with that?!
Great band though - heard 'em in the late 80s.
The Navy Commodores (or the U.S. Navy Band Commodores, their full name) are another great outfit. I hear them every January at the Navy's Saxophone Symposium in Virginia.

My main favorites are '30s revival big bands such as Mora's Moderns, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks (whom I played with briefly years ago) and Don Neely's Royal Society Ork.

I particularly like the work of some of the British and European groups like this, as they can take a little more latitude and play straight dance music as well as swing or jazz. Michael Law's Piccadilly Ork is an example, Andre Hermelin from Germany another. A group I just learned about is Mart Sander's Swing Swindlers, from the unlikely locale of Tallinn, Estonia.

 

[dhermann1]

Well, I regularly attend New York Swing Dance Society events, and while they're not quite what they were in their heyday of maybe 15 years ago, they still have a lot to offer. On Sunday, Jan 21, 2007 they will have a terrific group from Philly called City Rhythm. I can attest they really swing. Also, they often have George Gee's big band, and those guys totally rock. Unabashed "Basie Band".
Those 2 plus Roy Gerson are my favorites of those that play around New York. But I'm becoming more and more aware of great bands out there in "America". They should all be supported and encouraged. Go ahead and spend a little money and get a live Big Band for your event. Only way to keep the music alive.

 

[dhermann1]

Vince Giordano

You can't beat Vince Giordano for 20's stuff. We was a protege of Bill Challis, who was Paul Whiteman's arranger for many years. He plays absolute definitive stuff of the era. You have to hear music of an era played as it was in its heyday to properly appreciate it. Music played by middle aged fuddy duddies years later just hasn't got the youthful testerone that all great pop music has when it's young. This is what discredits so many old styles of music in later years, old farts (pardon my French) playing flatulant versions of songs that were like absolute dynamite when they were new.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Has anyone from San Fransisco seen "Dangerous Martini" live?

They seem great and they sound it too!

DANGEROUS MARTINI

I've seen plenty live.

Mora's Modern Rhythmists is great, Stommy Jones, Pink Martini (even if they are a bit of latin and salsa), Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five with Hilary Alexander is great too!

There is a new kind of swing by a man named Wolfgang Parker, a combination of Punk Rock and Swing. Heavy and Dirty!

Wolfgang Parker

 

[ITG]

I like the band that Trickeration is in...The Esquires.

 

[topcat]

Please knock your lobes in the direction of one Chris Mcdonald Orchestra,
available on the Greenhill recording label.
MAGNIFICENT SOUND.Could very well be the most solid sound for Big
Bands today. Will look to add some samples here through a link.

 

[topcat]

http://greenhillmusic.com/audio/GH5391_01.ram

http://greenhillmusic.com/audio/GH5317_04.ram

Real player audio links ,just click no thanks when it asks for
updating your player, will then go to music sample.

First link is Laura,capturing the mood of the song -PERFECTLY.
Second link is to Shine On Harvest Moon, same goes for this one.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I really like how that first track opening is!

It's so much film noiry, you can see the detective at his desk even without actually seeing him.

The second track seems like part of a film as well. Perhaps the notorious detective wandering into a night club and seeing Lady Luck as she goes on stage

 

[topcat]

You are dead ON, HFLG! Amazing how their sound instantly translates
those scenarios into the imagination.
You know its good when it clicks for you -that fast.

 

[DeeDub]

Man, oh, man, that is sweet!

http://greenhillmusic.com/audio/GH5391_01.ram

http://greenhillmusic.com/audio/GH5317_04.ram

Real player audio links ,just click no thanks when it asks for
updating your player, will then go to music sample.

First link is Laura,capturing the mood of the song -PERFECTLY.
Second link is to Shine On Harvest Moon, same goes for this one.

Chris McDonald Orchestra has a new fan.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Who else?

 

[Brian Sheridan]

I just spun a disc from a band named "Swingerhead" out of Florida. Great disc. The frontman is Michael Andrew who has had several big bands including the "Coconut Grove Orchestra". You might find his story and tunes interesting. Surf over to www.michaelandrew.com. Merv Griffin says he's the best singer in the business. High praise, indeed.

 

[killertomata]

If you ever get the chance to see these guys doing their 'Glenn Miller' show, jump at the opportunity! Man, these cat's can swing!

-dixon cannon

Thank you for posting this! My boyfriend is ex-Air Force and he is going to love this. That's if he doesn't know about them already and just hasn't mentioned it to me.

 

[Natty Bumpo]

The Stolen Sweets

http://www.myspace.com/stolensweets

 

[RAF Man]

Having just been to a concert of theirs in Scarborough, Yorkshire 2 weeks ago, I can say that the SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA are exceptionally good.

They have been thrilling audiences in Concert Halls, Theatres, TV Shows and Music Festivals all over Great Britain and Continental Europe for over 40 years. Renowned for it’s exciting blend of high octane Big Band Swing and Classic Dance Music, the Orchestra’s repertoire ranges from the wartime million sellers of the legendary Glenn Miller through the era of the great Count Basie Orchestra to the hit songs of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Count Basie himself described the Syd Lawrence Orchestra as “So good it should be BANNED!” and it has recently been voted “Best Big Band in the Land” for the Ninth consecutive year.

To Listen visit
http://www.syd-lawrence-orchestra.com/listentotheorchestra/tabid/85/Default.aspx

 

[VegasMike]

hmm, No Royal Crown Revue? Or Lee Press-On and the Nails? Those guys were great! Both bands out of the LA area.

 

[PA Dancer]

Ohhhgeeezzz...I know I won't remember all of them.

Old-jazzy-swingy-sounding new bands

CDs I will go out and buy:

:::Swingy:::
Since Royal Crown Review was mentioned....
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Brain Setzer
Colin James
Squirel Nut Zippers
Indigo Swing

:::Jazzy::::
Madelyn Peyroux
Michael Buble
Harry Connick Jr
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Rod Stewarts American Songbook Albums (none of the others)

Then there are those mixed CDs I have that I like the music but don't rush out to buy them.

That Swingerhead CD...does there album title have something to do with a Spy? I think I have it, but too lazy to get up and look.
: )

edit: ooopss...forgot Julie London in my Jazzy list.