Many of our swing bands offer flexibility for your event. For example, Vintage Lianna is a solo singer, covering 50s and 60s rock and roll, Jazz and Doo Wop The Jackpots are a pure rock and roll 3-piece band while trio The Melodic Belles specialise in 40s and 50s swing vocals and Elaina and The West Coast Stompers are a 6-piece jive and swing band. There are many different formats within this genre, from soloists and duos, to 18-piece bands, all covering either one of or a whole range of musical styles. Reworking pop songs into ingenious vintage arrangements, these performers not only play the classics but give chart hits that everyone knows a retro spin, delighting audiences of all ages in the process. In terms of audience, swing, jive and rock and roll bands are pretty universal. Likewise, this was music made for dancing, so such bands are perfect for events where you want your guests to get up and jump around! Equally, guests can just tap their feet and enjoy the vibe. For example, a swing artist might help recreate an exuberant, jitterbugging 1940s war-time dance hall, complete with GI uniforms, victory rolls and nylon stockings! Close Harmony Groupsīeautifully harmonised vocals, sharp dance routines and fabulous glamour, reminiscent of wartime sweethearts entertaining the troops, these groups cover songs from artists such as The Andrews Sisters, Marilyn Monroe, Glenn Miller, Ray Charles, The Chordettes, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee.ĭue to the retro nature of a swing, jive, and rock and roll band’s style and performance, they are often booked for vintage-themed events.
Featuring music from artists like Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Beatles and Little Richard. Current popular music reworked into a jive style – covering artists from Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams to Paloma Faith.Īuthentic, fun and energetic, rock and roll bands have a repertoire from the 50s and 60s that’s instantly recognisable.1960s: Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, The Rat Pack.1950s: Chuck Berry, Elvis, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frank Sinatra.1940s: The Andrews Sisters, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, the Glenn Miller Band.Jive bands will cover artists from each decade, including: Up-tempo jive bands draw from a rich legacy of music from the 1930s onwards, with authentic 1940s arrangements, 1950s rock and roll, 1960s crooner classics, to contemporary tracks with a retro twist. This guide focusses mainly on swing, jive, & rock and roll bands. There is a guide specifically about Rat Pack swing singers, which you might like to read if it’s more appropriate. On the Alive Network website a wide range of artists describe themselves as swing artists. Many also offer a swing style twist on modern tracks, from Katy Perry to Nirvana. With its roots in jazz, swing bands will cover a range of timeless classics from the last 70 years, such as Sinatra and Nina Simone, and will often cover their contemporary counterparts, like Harry Connick Junior and Michael Bublé.