Fill your stockings with excitement arrangements, fiery improvisation and beautiful ballads; this evening will be everything you hope for from a Big Band at Christmas with a sprinkling of seasonal surprises and the occasional bad joke.
Audiences of all ages will be captivated by stunning performances of iconic Christmas songs, including: The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting), Yo Hark! Those Angels Swing (Hark The Herald Angels Sing, We Three Kings, Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland. Alongside this will be many fantastic pieces associated with Christmas such as Beauty and the Beast and We're Off To See The Wizard.
The show will also feature vocal performances from Diane Arthurs with renditions of Christmas classics like Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Santa Baby, and What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?, and a cameo vocal performance from Musical Director Paul McLaughlin.
As an Added Christmas bonus, the show will start with a few numbers from special guests Splanky Saxophone Quartet.
The Jay Cee Big Band features some of the most accomplished musicians in the Cheltenham area and has been delighting audiences for over 60 years with classics from across the decades of the jazz greats. Under the musical direction of Paul McLaughlin, they recently performed an evening of Duke Ellington's music in Cheltenham. They will be returning to Cheltenham Playhouse in the Spring with an evening of Count Basie's music including the entire Atomic Mr Basie album. In the past they have also performed music by, amongst many others, Tubby Hayes, Pat Metheny and Gordon Goodwin.
Get your festive season swinging with Cheltenham's favourite big band and hear those angels SWING!
The Jay Cee Big Band:
Musical Director and Vocals - Paul McLaughlin
Featured Vocalist - Diane Arthurs
Saxophones:
Simon Day and Lawrence Cooper - Alto Saxophones
Diane Arthurs and Carolyn Folley - Tenor Saxophones
Graham Ross - Baritone Saxophone
Trumpets:
Nigel Glover, Pete Beck, Steve Harper and Ollie Kitto
Trombones:
Keith Digby, Paul McLaughlin, Jack Jones and Mark Oldham
Rhythm Section:
Paul Newman - Guitar
Emma Breese - Piano
Graham Niblett - Bass Guitar
Paul Arthurs - Drums
Splanky:
Karen Wray - Soprano and Alto Saxophones
Lee Shaw - Alto and Soprano Saxophones
Carolyn Folley - Tenor and Baritone Saxophones
Diane Arthurs - Baritone and Tenor Saxophones
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