The Big Band Era roars back to life when Salt Spring Island’s 17-piece band Swing Shift lands at the Osborne Bay Pub in Crofton Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m.
The band’s authentic renditions of toe-tapping, heartwarming, big band classics by Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Harry James and more are always crowd pleasers.
Highlights of this show include vocals by Jim Raddysh with songs made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.
Music director Derrick Milton, who founded the band in 1993 with his wife, lead alto saxophonist Wendy Milton, is confident this event can be enjoyed by both dancers and people who prefer to sit and listen.
Most of the arrangements will be 1940s hits, but there will be a few modern tunes to round out the afternoon, including a little Latin, and even a couple of pop and funk tunes.
The band, which was also led for a time by saxophonist Monik Nordine and Murray Hunter, has worked with many great musicians over the years, including Ian MacDougall, Hugh Fraser and Nick LaRiviere.
Last year, Milton organized a show with Swing Shift, a 60-voice choir and the legendary Bill Henderson.
In June, the band will present a unique show on Salt Spring featuring Valdy, tentatively called Valdy Goes Big Band.
Swing Shift’s performance is part of the weekly Pat’s House of Jazz series, presented by the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society. It runs every Sunday. Admission is $20.