Review Centre: Vintage Bands

"The ultra-stylish Kit Packham’s One Jump Ahead band is now 30 years old. For this Sunday afternoon gig at the award-winning Hideaway, they performed a rollicking set of songs ranging from 1940s and 1950s jump/jive, R&B and classic rock ‘n’ roll, to jazz standards and originals, featuring the band’s core seven-piece line-up: Bandleader and composer, Kit Packham on saxophones and lead vocal, Steve Knight on guitar, Perry White on piano, Alex Keen on double bass, Kenrick Rowe on drums, Tracey Mendham on saxophones and vocals, and Simon Da Silva on trumpet and flugelhorn. Striking in a blue pinstripe suit and fedora, Packham resembled Frank Sinatra, and he introduced numbers in a clear and informative way. They opened with one of the band’s original tunes, ‘Swing It’, which immediately propelled people to the dance floor. The band’s perky theme tune, ‘One Jump Ahead’, contained one of Packham’s signature, impactful abrupt endings and deadpan Knight added even more colour to the act by performing a nose flute solo on The Blues Brothers classic, ‘Minnie the Moocher’. White nailed a stunning boogie-woogie piano solo punctuated by thrillingly deep bass notes from Mendham on baritone saxophone on ‘Choo Choo Ch’Boogie’, and they even managed to squeeze in a world premiere featuring Vera Lynn’s World War II song, ‘We’ll Meet Again’: Loosely named ‘The Last Song Of The Set’, it cleverly welded an old song onto a new one. Eventually the two tunes overlapped, bringing the gig to an impressive end. The time flew; a sure sign that Kit Packham’s One Jump Ahead with its thoroughly well-written arrangements and heartfelt blend of comedy and music, had done a fine job of bringing this classy joint to life."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Jess, I just wanted to say thank you very much for coming to perform last week. You and your band members were fantastic and we had amazing feedback from our guests!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"They were so good – we would usually need to book a much bigger band to create the kind of impact they created with just a small band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Your sets were excellent and well received yesterday. You are a beautiful (voice) singer and the feedback received was very positive. Thanks for attending our event. I will definitely consider you again for future events. Thanks again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thanks so much for doing the music for our wedding, we chose the Live Dj and Saxophone option. All our friends said how good the Flute and saxophone playing was and the music. Highly recommend Thanks "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Martin, thanks for your wonderful music last week it really brightened things up on a windy rainy day! pass on our best regards to your bass player too. kind regards, Annie."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic service from start to finish. Music was wonderful and made such a difference to our champagne reception. I will defiantly be booking again for my 40th! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you again for playing so superbly at the event; it surely added a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’..."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Bluebird Trio were a professional and fantastic addition to our corporate drinks reception with over 500 guests. We have received excellent feedback owing to their exciting range of covers that kept us all entertained throughout. The whole booking process was very easy. Thanks again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"So very many thanks for your voice and expert playing. Hugely enjoyable. I drove home singing about Summertime over the rainbow and more! Mum loved it and I have had appreciations from all."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Can you please pass on our thanks to the whole band for yesterday. You were absolutely brilliant for both the lunch and the evening. You really helped make our day so special. So many guests commented about you and said how amazing you were.... We had so much fun dancing along to you guys. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Swing Gitan contributed fully to a great party. They were very professional and easy to deal with and their style of music was perfect for a multi-generation party with a wide range of guests. We would certainly recommend them. - Tim Watts - 2/9/17"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I contacted Rachel to sing at my mother’s memorial service. She responded quickly and was very professional yet friendly from the start. Rachel’s first solo “Pie Jesu” reduced me to tears as her voice was so beautiful. We will remember the service as a wonderful tribute to my mother mainly because of Rachel’s singing. I cannot recommend her highly enough and would love to find another occasion to use her again. Thank you so much Rachel. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We were very pleased with Ben. Thank you for dealing with our last minute request so efficiently, very impressed."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jess , we can’t thank you enough for singing at my husbands 50th birthday yesterday . Your voice is amazing, everyone was hooked and we could listen to you all day . Love your look also - was truly a pleasure to have you sing at our house . We hope to see you again. Louise Xx"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: