Press release: The Down for the Count Swing Orchestra return with their annual festive favourite!

© Marcus Chater

Look who’s coming to town! Over the past few years, the Down for the Count Swing Orchestra have dazzled audiences around the country with their festive extravaganza Swing Into Christmas – and they’ll be back on the road again this year to spread cheer in their inimitable style.

The show is rapidly becoming a Christmas tradition for audiences across the country, and it’s easy to see why fans keep coming back for more – not only does the show fizz with all the joy and warmth of the season in terms of the tunes, but the anecdotes and trademark on-stage banter make you feel as if you’re spending an evening with old friends.

© Marcus Chater

Directed by conductor and compère Mike Paul-Smith, the 30-piece “big-band with strings” comprises some of the nation’s top vocalists and instrumentalists, making it one of the largest swing bands currently touring the UK. 

Mike, who formed the orchestra in 2005, explains: “Artists like Frank Sinatra and Nat ‘King’ Cole would often have a string section in the band when they recorded. But all too often these days, touring productions reduce the band size down to the bare minimum. We’ll have 30 musicians on stage, and every note is completely live. It’s hard to put into words quite how pectacular it sounds, you really have to come and experience it for yourself!”

It’s definitely an unforgettable experience. Aside from the vocals, saxophones and violins, audiences have been treated to trumpets, tubular bells and maracas – and sometimes even end up with percussion instruments themselves!

But if the word “Christmas” makes you humbug, don’t fret; the orchestra strikes a careful balance between festive and non-festive fare from the Great American Songbook, including thrilling covers of songs that may have escaped many people’s attention. This year’s setlist will include more fresh arrangements of classics – as well as surprises – from both camps.

“We love delving into the archives to find the best vintage music to perform,” explains Mike. “There is so much beautiful music out there and we love bringing it back to life – whether it’s the comparatively unknown Louis Armstrong version of White Christmas, or a classic tune everyone knows like New York, New York.” 

After catching last year’s show, one audience member wrote on social media: "Never been to anything like this before… and it is fabulous!" Others praised the “fabulous orchestra, fabulous vocalists” and “superb arrangements”. One fan summed it up perfectly: "Full of joy!"

© Marcus Chater

It’s in no small part because of this infectious joy that Down for the Count have sold out shows at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, The London Jazz Festival, Cadogan Hall, and many other prestigious venues. This year’s Swing Into Christmas tour will be the largest yet, heading to 25 locations across the land – including Cadogan Hall in London, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, The Forum in Bath, and the finale at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall.

It may be cold outside, but a night with the Down for the Count Swing Orchestra is guaranteed to leave audiences in the warm glow of the holiday spirit!

Sun 16 Nov Tue 18 Nov Wed 19 Nov Thu 20 Nov Mon 24 Nov Sat 29 Nov Sun 30 Nov Tue 2 Dec Wed 3 Dec Thu 4 Dec Fri 5 Dec Sat 6 Dec Tue 9 Dec Wed 10 Dec Thu 11 Dec Fri 12 Dec Sat 13 Dec Sun 14 Dec Tue 16 Dec Wed 17 Dec Thu 18 Dec Fri 19 Dec Sat 20 Dec Sun 21 Dec Mon 22 Dec

CARDIFF RWCMD KING’S LYNN Corn Exchange IPSWICH Corn Exchange GUILDFORD G Live FOLKESTONE Leas Cliff Hall ABERDEEN Tivoli Theatre EDINBURGH The Queen’s Hall NEWCASTLE Cathedral DUMFRIES Easterbrook Hall GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall HARROGATE Royal Hall WATFORD Colosseum COVENTRY Warwick Arts Centre LIVERPOOL St. George’s Hall MIDDLESBROUGH Town Hall HUDDERSFIELD Lawrence Batley Theatre MANCHESTER The Stoller Hall CHELTENHAM Town Hall WORTHING Assembly Hall BATH Forum CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange OXFORD Olivier Hall SOUTHAMPTON Turner Sims LONDON Cadogan Hall NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall Tickets: www.swingintochristmas.co.uk

Quotes

"Awesome!" – Michael Bublé

"A truly heart-warming and joy-filled experience" – Reader's Digest

"A sonic ride back to the sounds of Capitol Studios in the 1950s" – DownBeat Magazine

"A potential competitor to the John Wilson Orchestra" – Jazzwise Magazine

Video 

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/WdUPwFlD8yY.