Review Centre: Vintage Bands

"Just amazing… Jodie’s voice blew me away. Such a professional and easy act to work with."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great solo and band performances of Blues, Soul and Jazz over a successful 2 year residency in the busy Stable at Bristol Harbourside. Highly recommended!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Jess, Just another really big thank you for yesterday! I had some very nice comments from our guests about your lovely performance and my mum was so happy with how it all went. :) Kind Regards, Nicola"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I booked Unwritten Duo for a memorial event last Christmas and she provided the perfect backdrop to the evening. She was uplifting, yet soulful the perfect mix for such an event. We're delighted to book her again for future events."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Oriana & The Charmers are classic and enchanting. I asked the group to perform for a 1920's themed party and they offered a relaxing and enticing performance whilst getting everyone to dance the 'charleston' or tried to at least. The group were very accommodating to our needs from start to finish and even made the effort to dress the part on the night. Since to party I have had nothing but great feedback for them and especially comments regarding how beautiful Oriana's voice is. It has been such a pleasure having them play for me and I would definately book them again."

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Jessica, thank you so much for your incredible performance! We really enjoyed it as you could tell ;)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jessica, I cannot THANK you enough for your amazing performance on Saturday - you were SUPERB!!!! And really made the event. You looked perfect, your voice was amazing & your song choices were just what our families wanted to hear!! Let’s stay in touch - I will definitely recommend that we book you in again. Thanks so much again, Shauna xxxx"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"REVIEW OF OUR LATEST CD ALBUM IN JAZZ JOURNAL Kit Packham’s One Jump Ahead: Everybody Loves A Boogie The entertaining British jump-jive revival band ploughs the familiar furrow, offering cheeky covers and originals with occasional solos By Hugh Rainey -13 October 2023437 Formed in 1984, this UK group plays jump-jive in a bright and breezy, entertaining style, blended with R&B and vintage rock and roll, and seasoned with light-hearted humour. Leader Kit Packham sings confidently in appropriate style on every track bar one, and contributes alto and tenor to the backing throughout. Packham also composed and wrote the lyrics for eight of the tracks and alternative lyrics for some cheeky adaptations of standards – My Swingin’ Valentine (an upbeat treatment of My Funny Valentine, which surprisingly works quite well) and the very funny Basingstoke (to the melody of Baby Face) and Buy A CD (with appropriate uninhibited bathos to My Way). On the whole, the originals work well for the genre. Love Me, Love My Saxophone and I Dig Potatoes have amusing lyrics somewhat reminiscent of Louis Jordan and Slim Gaillard in style. Enjoyable versions of Don’t Get Around Much Any More, Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby and My Swingin’ Valentine, come closest to straightforward jazz treatment with some worthwhile brief solos and touches of arrangement. The tracks come from sessions in 2009, 2017 and 2023, mainly as six or seven piece lineups it seems, but with changing personnels. Though studio recorded, the CD comes across as cheery live entertainment – for dancers, rather than perhaps for close, serious listening. But it’s certainly good fun, with some inventive fresh material, and a sense of humour to give a welcome lift to your spirits in these troubled times. Discography Everybody Loves A Boogie; Don’t Clap On The First Beat Of The Bar; Old Rock “n” Roll Songs Never Die; Don’t Get Around Much Any More; Love Me, Love My Saxophone; Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby; Route 66; Alley Club Blues; As Time Goes By; Alright, OK, You Win; Lockdown Chase; My Swingin’ Valentine; I Dig Potatoes; Basingstoke; Buy A CD; We Had A Real Good Time/We’ll Meet Again (53.52) Collectively: Kit Packham (v, ts, as, bar, cl); Nick Tomalin, Perry White (p); John O’Reilly (g); Steve Knight (g, ts, bj); Alex Keen, Ollie Blanchflower (b); Derek Gayle, Kenrick Rowe (d); Simon Da Silva (t); Tracey Mendham (ts, cl). UK, 2009, 2017, 2023 (No further details.) Pelican records PEL CD 523 "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"They are professional , but with fantastic charm and personality, performance skills and great talent. They just got everyone going - old and young and everyone inbetween."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jess was amazing - the most beautiful voice! We asked her to play some Italian songs and it was exactly what we were hoping for- highly highly recommend! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hey just a quick line to say that the Pop Swings were awesome on Saturday and all of our guests remarked on how great they were. It’s a shame that you yourself were not there, but the deputy singer was class. Well done, Pop Swings, you do great work!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Your set on the main stage was absolute magic guys, you're on fire!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a fantastic band!!! Bex's voice is fantastic!! Ollie, Tom and Chris were also wicked and the whole band were up for fun, could go off piste when requested and made our evening spectacular. We could not have asked for a better band for our wedding and all of our guests agreed! Daisy also made the organisation easy and helped ensure everything ran smoothly! Thank you all so much!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I new nothing of this band, only that I'd left it very late to book so had no other choices! All my dealings with Alan were clear, helpful and very obliging. Nothing was too much trouble, from the type of music, number of musicians, outfits, length of playing time/breaks. They arrived in the Cotswolds from Yorkshire early, set up effortlessly, liased with the disco jockey and started playing just before the guests arrived. WOW!! Without exception, everyone danced. They set the whole party alight. How lucky were we to stumble across them. Use them, listen to them! They're fantastic!!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wow is the word. We had a vintage British seaside themed 30th wedding anniversary party for over 100 guest by Brighton Beach at the iconic BA 1360. Kit Packham and his brilliant band One Jump Ahead were outstanding from start to finish. We'd hired a group of swing dancers who got everybody dancing, regardless of ability! The band played everything we wanted from Glenn Miller to Aint Nobody Here But us Chickens. People just did not stop dancing! the finale New New York number resulted in 100 guests joining hands and all doing the high kicks. To say One Jump Ahead made our party go with a swing would be an understatement. I would also like to thank Kit and the band for their professionalism, time keeping and energy. Kit was so easy to deal with and the arrangements went so smoothly. I could not recommend them more highly. Book One Jump Ahead if you want your wedding / party to go with a swing!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: