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The SOCIÉTÉ PROMENADERS
early in the year 2004, resulting from smaller bands led by Colin Ball
including 'Chicago Classic' and 'Cafe Society'.
The aim of the band, which consists of two saxes, Cornet,
Trombone, Piano, Sousaphone, Guitar/Banjo and a vocalist, is to re-create
the sound of the 1920's which became known as 'Hot Dance'.
These bands played intricate arrangements of popular songs
with 'hot' solos, many by famous players such as Bix Beiderbeck, Frank
Trumbauer, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey etc.
Many of the giants of the swing era cut their teeth in
earlier bands such as Ted Lewis and Paul Whiteman.
By 1930 things were changing fast. The Brass Bass
was dropped in favour of the String Bass; arrangements became simpler and
for a time the hot solos were less prevalent. This situation remained
until the beginning of the swing era in the mid 1930's.
Between 1920 and 1930 dance bands reached their musical
zenith, arrangers were free to experiment and invented a brand new style of
playing, a style that modern musicians, with new
instrument and mouthpiece designs, find difficult to master.
With perseverance, the joys of playing of playing this
music are revealed. The SOCIÉTÉ PROMENADERS rehearse weekly to master
new arrangements that appear at regular intervals
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