The Swing Commanders

Making their first appearance at ‘Blues on the Farm’ on Sunday 21 June are Europe’s premier Western Swing sextet, with music from the thirties, forties and fifties, the unique Swing Commanders.

Television, radio and recording artists, they emerged as a leading name on the Country and Western scene four years ago, before adopting a line-up of six specialist soloists, five voices and thirteen instruments, that has allowed them also to focus on the best of Latin and Forties swing, including classic vocal harmonies from the Andrews Sisters.

Led by the unique voice and stage persona of charismatic frontman, Peter Riley, the band features mandolin champion, Simon Brady on lead and steel guitars, the driving percussion of jazz drummer, ‘Doctor’ Mark Warburton and, last but certainly not least, glamorous multi-instrumentalists, the Laverne Sisters.

All experienced classical violinists, Gaynor, Nonnie and Leenie have hit the Swing scene like a whirlwind, with their high-energy performances on an amazing array of instruments and superb vocal harmonies, even taking to the dance floor for some of the band’s most swinging numbers.

Following the 2008 tour of Texas, as the very first British band to be invited to appear at The Legends of Western Swing Festival in Wichita Falls, including a debut on American network television, their rating as the top band at Holland’s Floralia festival, and five successive sell-outs in mainland theatres, The Swing Commanders are now established as international artistes and a top attraction on the Jump Jive, Country and Forties Swing scenes.

Now ‘Blues on the Farm’ offers the perfect opportunity to see why standing ovations are regular features of the band’s concerts and festival appearances and to share the feel-good factor of the best of music and entertainment from the sextet that is “the Swing sensation”!

website: www.swingcommandersupdates.co.uk
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