Swing Set vocal jazz quartet has a new CD to boast about.
Their live recording of last year is ready for release, and the gals are celebrating with a reunion performance May 11 at the Bridge Lounge. Tickets are $15 and will be available on the night only — doors open at 7 p.m. and showtime is 8.
The members of Swing Set are Wendy Nixon Stothert, Michelle Weckesser, Jenn Forsland and Dale Graham.
With special guests Sean Mooney on piano, John Hyde on bass, Grahame Edwards on drums and trumpet, and Rick Husband on guitar, the women of Swing Set will perform solo features in addition to their exquisite four-part harmony.
The quartet will offer old favourites such as Bumble Bee and Moondance, along with new repertoire including the seductive Melody Gardot number Quiet Fire, and the well-loved Bill Henderson swinger When I Sing.
Stothert is an acclaimed music leader in the Comox Valley, directing the Just In Time Vocal Jazz choirs as well as performing solo and with Swing Set. Wendy’s passion and commitment are her musical trademarks.
Weckesser is a stunning soloist with classical as well as jazz credentials. Her move to Cowichan Bay in 2011 has not deterred her from a return engagement with the Swing Set crew. Who knew that Skype rehearsals could be so effective?
Forsland fronts the Jenn Forsland Group, directs the Celebration Singers, teaches music privately and in the schools, and is an in-demand adjudicator for music festivals.
Graham is best known for her solo vocals with local group Indigo Jazz, and for her previous work in the folk and Celtic genres.
While many of the quartet’s arrangements are a cappella, some numbers simply cry out for a hip rhythm section. Mooney, Hyde, Edwards and Husband more than fill that bill. Their fine musical skills and instincts provide a terrific blend and give strong support for the quartet and for solo vocals.
Swing Set appears at the Bridge on May 11 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 and tickets sell at the door. This great new venue has a lovely riverside setting, is fully licensed, and offers comfortable seating with great sightlines.
— Swing Set