Band Bio's
Andrew dickeson’s blue rhythm band with special guest
Leah Reinhardt
ANDREW DICKESON'S "BLUE RHYTHM BAND Andrew Dickeson's "Blue Rhythm Band" is a band for dancers. They do what Basie did - they play 4 solid beats to the bar - and no cheating!
Australian lindy hoppers were looking for a band leader with one foot firmly in the Savoy Ballroom, and the other setting down a rock-solid beat. Andrew had a group of musicians who wanted to play for audiences who could dig what they were doing. The Blue Rhythm Band is a swinging dance band - playing music created by jazz musicians for the ultimate jazz fans - dancers!
Drawing upon the tradition of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Lunceford and others - this band is the “real deal” for swing music. ANDREW DICKESON'S “BLUE RHYTHM BAND The Blue Rhythm Band is a rock-solid small band built from the rhythm section out - piano, bass and drums operating as a finely tuned unit. This solid rhythmic core can also grow to include rhythm guitar. Add some sublime saxophone, clarinet and vocals, and you’ve got the cooking 4-piece band that has been “swinging dancers into bad health - then back again” in recent years.
MEET THE BLUE RHYTHM BAND: THE RHYTHM SECTION The most important part of any dance band -a swingin’ drummer who knows when to push and when to step back, a “cooking” bass player, and a pianist who can provide beautiful rhythm and melody.
Drums - Andrew Dickeson
Piano - Peter Locke
Bass - Jacob Graham
THE FRONT LINE If the rhythm section is the engine that drives the band, the horns are the colour and light. Brad Child's soulful and energetic presence in the front row on sax and clarinet, as well as vocals, makes it clear that a great dance band needs to match rhythm with joyous melody.
The Blue Rhythm Band has impressed dancers at MLX, SLX, the Little Big Weekend, Jazz with Ramona, the Small Ball, Canberrang, Jumptown Jam, Jazz BANG etc - and is now, without a doubt, Australia’s most popular and in-demand band for swing dancers.
Special Guest - Leah Reinhardt
Leah Reinhardt is an emerging Jazz Vocalist in the Sydney music scene, currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Passionate about upholding the Jazz tradition while infusing her practice with a contemporary sensitivity, Leah seeks to deliver melodies with lyrical mindfulness and warmth
Catch Andrew Dickeson’s Blue Rhythm Band with Leah Reinhardt at the Saturday Night Deco Dance at Petersham Town Hall
SAra o’connor Swing Session with the aston martinis
The Aston Martinis are a vintage swing band built for the dancefloor. With a classic lineup of drums, double bass, guitar, saxophone, and vocals, this polished ensemble delivers the perfect tempos to keep dancers moving all night long.
Fronted by Sara, a jazz vocalist with a smooth, soulful tone and a deep understanding of swing rhythms thanks to her background as a swing dancer. The Aston Martinis know exactly how to match the groove and feel of the room. Whether it’s a lindy hop social, vintage ball, or speakeasy-style soirée, Sara brings a warm stage presence and infectious rhythm that fills the floor.
Their repertoire is a stylish journey through the golden era of jazz and swing, from the toe-tapping charm of the Great American Songbook to the infectious rhythms of jump blues, early rhythm & blues, and upbeat trad jazz. Expect beloved classics made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, Nat King Cole, and Count Basie, all delivered with tight arrangements and infectious energy. Every tune is selected with dancers in mind, from swinging mid-tempo grooves to lively shuffles and sultry slow drags.
On saxophone, Andy brings a smoky, expressive sound, weaving melodic solos that dazzle and delight. John on guitar delivers tasteful leads, locking in with the rhythm section while adding vintage flair. The double bass, held down by Mike, anchors the band with a deep, percussive pulse, while Adam on drums keeps time tight, driving the band with syncopated swing and impeccable feel.
Catch Sara O’Connor Swing Sessions with The Aston Martinis at the P-Jam Party at Sydney Portuguese Club, Marrickville
queen porter stomp
QUEEN PORTER STOMP use their dirty swamp magic to shirk those Prohibition blues – swinging skirts and scuffed shoes for hardwood and concrete dance floors alike. This is jazz where swing is the key you play, Melody is your gypsy mistress, and signature is what you’re trying to avoid committing to paper until you have a shot of bootlegged whisky. They pack horns that scream straight into your soul, squeezed tight into a caravan they’ve taken up and down and through the smoke and mud of the festival circuit (like the Falls Festival, Woodford Folk Festival), supporting the hardened and never weary (like Charles Bradley).
Swagger comes from a rhythm section borne of cut-throat jazz chops and a banjo that can exorcise demons on the wrong side of midnight. Amongst all this well honed haze comes the clarity and seduction of the ukulele songstress upfront. Shine those shoes and undo that top button – if you’re just tapping those toes, then you’re in the wrong bar.
This is Queen Porter’s joint.
Catch Queen Porter Stomp at Swing Out at The Colombian, Sunday afternoon at The Colombian Hotel, Darlinghurst