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• Think Frank Sinatra, Think Fred Astaire - but now think of swing's shadow world. A world inhabited by the hobo counter culture that was the 30's. The music as it was away from the glitzy world of hollywood. Now bring it up to date - to the 21st century. This is a band dancing to the joys of life somewhere between Tom Waits and the Stray Cats. Louis Jordan and Dr. John.

PRESS

• "The Swingin' Lovers shoot from the hip of 1930's jazz into the 21st century... They put the "HOT" back into the "Clubs de Paris"... and should not be missed by anyone looking for an eclectic mix of kick-ass jazz both past and present. " Radio France International

BIOGRAPHY

Take a bunch of guys. Good lookin guys. Well dressed. Impressive. Experienced, brilliant musicians who have travelled the world. They are American, Australian, French and Irish. Have them get together in that very special melting pot that is Paris and what might you get?

"The Swingin Lovers" have just released their first album on the "Mosiac Music" label in France (which you can BUY ONLINE ) . It is an ecclectic mix of original songs. Songs of love - good and bad, about what your average guy or girl wants. Of getting dressed up to go out and have a good time. Putting on your own Ritz. Throwing out your TV and asking for more. You deserve no less!

"Shine your shoes, put your spats on, brush you tails and try some hats on..." Get dancing and start the revolution today!

Their name has been carefully chosen. "Swing" is there in the title. It's such a great word. It's musical and it's provocative at the same time. It has many meanings and the band encompasses them all.

They are all top quality performers. As sidemen and bandleaders they have all been playing literally 100's of gigs each year for years and their collective C.V's are nothing short of impressive. From Irish singer and trombonist Paddy Sherlock, to Bronx-born guitarist Billy Collins, Melbourne's slapping double-bassist Sebastien Girardot, and French drummer Guillaume Noaux - the band rocks!

"We put this band together to have fun - We were playing all this jazz stuff but we so wanted to write our own material. We really pushed in that direction and we hope we all came up trumps".

"There aren't a lot of bands playing swing and doing their own songs. But we all wanted more. When you play jazz clubs people often watch you too closely - they want to be impressed. It's easy to get people to clap for solo's - there are all sorts of tricks... But we want people not just to spectate but to participate".

"The other day we were playing outdoors on the banks of the Seine as part of the "Paris Beach" festival. There were a few hundred people dancing - Couples - not just swaying but really dancing in front of us, under the trees as the sun went down. In the end there was no defining line between us, the band on stage and the public and as an artist you cannot dream for more than that - it was perfect".

"Maybe swing is not the mainstream music of the moment. But we all love it and want to steal it back from the jazzo-intelectuals and put it back in the street. All we ever want to do is play gigs. Play, play and then play some more. And when we do - everywhere we go people are surprised by how much they love it. They aren't so used to being incited to dance anymore. But that's our mission. Change the world today! - Swing your blues away..."

"People forget that behind the main streets with their McDo's you can sometimes find a hidden, small and simple bistrot with a world class chef who doesn't give a damn about what people think. All he wants to do is cook - beautifully. And that is what we do when we play. We cook - Beautifully!"

Paddy Sherlock - Vocals, Trombone
Born in Dublin, Irish trombonist and singer Paddy Sherlock moved to Paris 16 years ago and has worked as a professional musician ever since. He studied and played with Count Basie trombone giant Al Grey. He has recorded and toured the world with such award winning bands as FFF (epic) 1991-1995, P18 (virgin) 1998-2001, RACHAEL DES BOIS (virgin)1997 and LIZ MCCOMB 2000/2002. Appearing at hundreds of festivals: Glastonberry, Barbican centre, Montreal jazz fest, Quebec arts festival, Paleofestival (Switzerland), Les Eurokeenes, Roskilde, Sonar Festival etc. From Bergen to Budapest, From Buenos Aires to Barcelona. The man has traveled!

Bill Collins - Guitar, Vocals
Bill Collins from the bronx, New York. Started on fiddle. Son of Daniel Collins who founded the famous Shanachie Records label. Nephew of fiddler extroadinaire Kathleen Collins. Interest in music coming principally from hearing the Beatles at a young age and having some of the worlds best Irish musicians playing in the families living room throughout the 70s. Years later teams up in the streets of NY with blues Harp player Adam Gussow. Went to Paris in late 80s and discovered early jazz and played in several trad jazz and swing bands working in the streets and stages with singers and musicians such as Madeleine Peyroux, Danny Fitzgerald, Cornetist Dick Miller, Dan Levinson, John Kelso, Ingrid Lucia and The Flying Neutrinos, Ron Sunshines Full Swing, David Peel, trumpetist Jack Butler and trumpetist Bill Dillard.

Sebastien Girardot - Double Bass
Born in Melboure, Australia, Sebastien first started playing double bass at the age of 12 and quickly found his way in the Australian Youth Orchestra. Still young, he discovers the wonders of jazz and has soon recorded for some of the bigest traditionnal jazz labels (such as Jazz Crusade) and linked tours end on end (China, Europe, Scandanavia et Great Britain). In Paris for three months, or so he thought at the beginning, Sebastien starts playing with Fabrice Eulry and Jacky Millet before deciding to stay permanantly. At only 23 years old, he has already played with Evan Christoper and the Haricots Rouges to name a few, and is widely demanded as a fine bass player around France and Europe.

Michael O'Dougherty - Sax and Flute
Michael O'Dougherty from Denver Colorado got his start in music with school big bands and at the age of 16 started playing with smaller formations.After a year of traveling around the states he came to europe and for the past 25 years has been playing in different musical formations that range from big bands to duos from jazz to irish music on flute or saxophone.With the different formations Mike has played in many europian countries as well as Egypte and Guadaloupe.The high point of these last 25 years was in 1982 with the priviledge to play with Dizzy Gillespie.Now he enjoys playing with many groups including a cooking group called the Swingin' Lovers.

Guillaume Nouaux- Drums
26 years old, of which 19 have been behind a drum kit, Guillaume has already recorded two Cd's under his own name and more than a dozen as a sideman. A regular in Parisian jazz clubs (Petit Journal, Petit Opportun, Slow Club), he also plays at numerous festivals in France (Bayonne, Cannes, Marciac, Marseille...) and abroad while touring in Swizerland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Ireland or the USA. A permanent member of groups such as the Vintage Jazzmen, Bayou Combo and his own Swing Band, he is also called upon for replacement work by the likes of Claude Tissendier, Jacques Doudelle and Marc Lafferrière.

TOUR DATES 2012

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