Swing Bands and Music

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Need a band or disc jockey for your dance or function? Want to know more about a band that's playing near you or at a dance that you want to attend? Want their address or phone number? Find out more about them here. At the bottom of this page are listings for various disc jockeys who provide music for dances.

What do the little red stars mean? It means that I saw them at a dance recently and the number of stars indicate how much they inspire me to swing dance where they were playing. The number of stars can also go up or down. Bands with no stars means I haven't seen them live or it's been a while since I've last seen them. Some bands got fewer stars, not because they were bad, but because their "swing content" was lower than expected or desired; some bands are exciting concert bands, but I probably wouldn't hire them to do a swing dance.

Editor's Note: If you're interested in hiring a band, take the time to listen to them in concert or at least, listen to a demo tape. And do me a favor: tell the band or dj that you found them here on these pages.

Interested in traditional or dixieland jazz? Go to New England Traditional Jazz Plus for schedules, venues, and bands.

Want to hear swing/big band music when you're at your computer? Set your web browser to Martini in the Morning for music to put you in the mood 24x7!

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Massachusetts:

The Acme Big Band Contact Jim at 781-662-9057. 6- to 16-piece band plays swing, ballroom and concert jazz.	Artie Barsamian's Boston Big Band Contact Artie Barsamian at 978-250-7344 or P.O. Box 512, Chelmsford, MA 01824.
Beantown Swing Orchestra Contact Frank Hsieh at 617-272-5730.	Bellevue Cadillac Contact Bryon Holley at 508-520-3208 or 37 Clapp Street, Norton, MA 02766. Concert Line: 508-541-4693
BJ Magoon & Driving Sideways Contact bjmagoon@yahoo.com. A mix of Swing Blues, Boogie-Woogie and R & B.	Blind Tiger Swing Posse Contact Doug Moore at 508-791-3816.
Blue Rendezvous Contact Paris Productions at 413-323-8660 or P.O. BOx 222, Belchertown, MA 01007.	The Blue Suede Boppers Contact Reebee Garofalo at 617-628-3769.
Bob Bachelder and the Totem Pole Big Band Contact Bob Bachelder at 781-944-9661 or 89 Timberneck Drive, Reading.	Bombay Jim and the Swinging Sapphires contact Jim Porcella at 617-846-6108. (5/9/08)
Al Boudreau Quartet Contact Al Boudreau at 978-283-8797.	Compaq Big Band Contact Al Saloky. The Compaq Big Band is a 21-piece big band made up of employees of Compaq Computer, former employees of Digital Equipment, and other members. They play many charity-oriented swing dances as well as clubs around the North Shore. (formerly the DECbigband).
Dave Whitney Orchestra Contact Dave Whitney at 978-667-5524 or 978-667-7357. 33 Wyman Road, Billerica, MA 01821-3725	Dick Kaplan's Excellent Jazz Band Contact Dick Kaplan at 978-465-0265. 6 Purchase Street, Newburyport, MA 01950. Eight piece traditional jazz/swing Ensemble.
Dom V and the Swing Out Big Band Contact Domenic Valarioti at 508-481-3911 or Swing Out Productions, 103 Preston Street, Marlboro, MA 01701.	Drootin Brothers Band Contact Sonny (or Al) Drootin at 781-762-7480 (Sonny) or 561-439-0935 (Al) or 181 Neponset, Norwood.
Eastwood Swing Orchestra Contact Norman Daoust at 617-491-7424 or 157 Raymond Street, Cambridge, MA 02140-3314.	Either/Orchestra Contact Megan Berry at 617-876-4600 or Accurate Records, 288 Norfolk Street, Cambridge, MA 02139.
Fantasy Big Band Contact Kent L. Kochon at 508-634-3092 or P.O. Box 216, Hopedale, MA 01747.	Happy Feet Dance Orchestra Contact Lucinda Ellert at 781-944-7254. 10-piece dance band with music from the 20s and 30.
Herb's Heard Swing Band Contact David Jerome at 617-327-9403. Herb's Heard is a fourteen-piece orchestra featuring the swing sound of the Big Band Era.	Java Swing Band Contact Bill McCallum at 508-564-5302. This is a 8-piece swing band located on Cape Cod.
The Kenny Hadley Big Band Contact David at 508-520-2290. 16-piece big band playing in the Boston area for 20 years. Usually play concert-type jazz events but are available for swing dances.	Lynne Meryl Band Contact 413-584-1789 in Northampton (May 1-Oct. 1) or 954-733-5871 in Fort Lauderdale, FL (Oct. 1-May 1). Dance music at clubs, festivals, country clubs, weddings, etc, with music from the 1920s to present.
The Love Dogs Contact Ed Sheer 617-735-0604. A favorite band regularly seen at dances all over New England. (5/2/08)	Melanie & The Swing Band Contact Bob Monroe at 508-795-7223 or P.O. Box 141, Worcester, MA 01602.
The Meltones Contact Rick Mederos at 401-722-0237.	This space intentionally left blank.
The Mike DiBari Swingtet Contact Mike DiBari at 617-491-3007.	The Mood Elevators contact Christine Towle at 508-460-7647.
The O-Tones Contact Mary Witt at 413-584-8760, fax at 413-587-0953 or 17 Corticelli Street, Florence, MA 01062. Swing, Jazz, Jumpin' Boogie, and Rhythm & Blues for your wedding, party, or dance. Need a smaller band? Check out the Propellors, a subset of the O-Tones.	Pendulum Swing Band Contact Arthur Bakopolus at 978-689-3050. 7-piece band (8- with the vocalist)
The Racky Thomas Band	The Red Riders Contact musiclyne@yahoo.com at 508-792-4585.
Ron Stone Contact Milestones Entertainment at 508-943-4592. Two bands for your functions: Stone Daddys' Swing, a 7-piece swing band offering traditional and "neo-"swing, and Ron Stone and the Milestones Big Band, an 18-piece big band.	Sticky Skillet Swing Orchestra Contact Daniel Fox at 617-909-7776. (8/10/08)
Steve Taddeo & His Swing Senders Contact Steve Taddeo at 781-891-3214 or 38-4 garden Circle, Waltham, MA 02452. 7 piece band featuring music from the 30s & 40s. *An email contact for this band is needed.*	Sweet Willie D. & The Continental Walk Contact sweetwillied@msn.com.
The Swing Legacy Contact Henry Francis at 781-259-9007 or 16 Sunnyside Lane, Lincoln, MA 01773.	The Toni Lynn Washington Band Contact Bruce Bears Management at 781-391-5623 or 625 Fellsway West, Medford, MA 02155.
Trilogy Contact Alan Souza at 774-218-1838. Trilogy can be seen and heard at ballrooms all over New England.	Velvet Elvis Contact Jeffrey Maté at 781-662-2256.
The White Heat Orchestra Contact Craig Ball at 617-354-7213 or P.O. Box 381008 Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02238-1088. This is the original Roxy dance band.	Winiker Swing Orchestra Contact Bill Winiker at 617-277-6673 or 45 Longwood Avenue, Suite 108, Brookline, MA 02146.
Wolverine Jazz band Contact John Clark. Boston Metrowest area. Traditional jazz";i.e., dixieland and the dance music of the 20s.
The rest of New England
Eight to the Bar Contact Cynthia Lyons, P.O. Box 123, Northford, CT 06472. (Booking information and/or 24-Hour Hotline: 203-484-4749)	Something Cool with Karen Cameron Contact Karen Cameron at 603-964-7551.
Johnny and the East Coast Rockers Contact Johnny McLeod at 401-348-0504.	Garry & The Moodswingers Contact BlueSngr@ix.netcom.com at 203-458-1293.
The Nifty Fifties Band For booking information, contact Cheryl Scott Management at 860-693-0891.	The Hot Cat Jazz Band
Merrimack Community Jazz Ensemble Contact Suzanne Poirier. 20-piece swing and ballroom band and is available for private functions (reunions, fundraisers, dances, etc).	The Rockin' Soul Horns Contact Rob at 401-792-9897.
King Memphis Contact kingmemphis@kingmemphis.com. Rock-a-Billy tunes out of Maine.	Lex and Joe's BlueSwing Contact Lex and Joe at 207-646-2932. (4-piece swing band) and their sister group The Night Lifes (5-piece wedding band) operate out of Ogunquit, Maine.
Loaded Dice Contact Rob Nelson at 401-461-4532. 9-piece band doing blues, swing and some 50's style rock and roll.	The Dick Campo Big Band Contact Dick Campo at (860-443-5715 (day)/860-443-9582 (night). New London, CT.
Bedford Big Band Contact Bedford Big Band at 603-471-2950. Bedford, New Hampshire.	Daddio's Swing Orchestra Contact Keith W. Papa at 603-548-6492.
Roger Ceresi and the Rockin' All Starz Contact Roger Ceresi in 401-792-9897. Rhode Island.	The Peter Hostage Situation Contact Peter Hostage at 603-437-9589. New Hampshire.
The Little Big Band Contact Frank Pappalardo at 860-871-7582 or 860-742-1432, or Scott Summerer at 860-228-0298. Connecticut.	Bad Luck and Trouble Swing/blues band.

New York and New Jersey

Doc Scanlon's Rhythm Boys		Don Dworkin, DDE Music, P.O. Box 866, Latham, NY 12110 (518-782-0577, fax: 518-782-0576) See those four stars? They earned them.
Roy Gerson
George Gee and his Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra		George Gee, 1275 First Avenue, Suite 144, New York, NY 10021. (718-779-7865, fax: 718-779-7867) MBBO is a 15-piece swing big band. George Gee also offers The Jump, Jive & Wailers, a 10-piece band.
The Peter Davis and Lindy Hop Heaven		Peter Davis, Saratoga Spring, NY. (518-584-5412)
Bob January's New York Dance Band Orchestra		Bob January 6 different configurations of dance bands/orchestras, depending on your requirements and budget.
The Central Park Stompers		Lead singer Peggy Cone passed away on Monday, February 5, 2001 after losing her fight with liver cancer. The band carries on in her memory. 05/13/08: Is this band still active? The website wasn't.
The Big Band Sound		Dave Cole (914-226-6072) 19-piece jazz orchestra based in Poughkeepsie, NY that provides the jazz music of the big band era.
The Flipped Fedoras		PACT Bookings (212-924-1009) I love their music and they are a lot of fun to dance to.
The Yalloppin' Hounds
Swingadelic		Dave Post
Andy Farber and his Swing Mavens		Riverdale, NY.
The Swing Doctors		Jesse Gelber, 373 S. 4th Street, #3C, Brooklyn, NY 11211. (718-387-9766)
Gerard Carelli Orchestra,		Gerald Carelli, 1-800-GC-SINGS (427-4647)
Diana Leigh and Crazy Rhythm		Ithaca, NY
New York City Swing		Evan Ginzburg (bookings), 718-740-4318.

Elsewhere

Most of the bands that play in the area are local acts that are only a few hours' drive away within the New England/New York region. Bands located outside that area will be listed within their individual state's webpages. If you don't see a listing for a band for your specific state, try looking on a page for an adjacent state.

There are band listings on pages for California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, Canada

You can jump to the page that lists the states outside New England.

Disc Jockeys

Some disc jockeys are mentioned here because I know them (and like them). Others (particularly the ballroom ones) are listed because they requested the listing or someone suggested the addition. In those latter instances, I probably don't know anything about them (regardless of how good they really are) so ask around to see which ones are recommended by the people you know.

Tony Tye	tye@hoptothebeat.com	508-435-2363	MA
Bill Cameron	billcameron@dancepros.net	860-242-6803	CT
Jane Dumont	jane@swingdanceworks.com	860-267-0613	CT
Fred Rapoport	djfredrap14@aol.com	978-562-2286	MA
Mike "Slick Mike" Smith	mike@itsallswing.com		MA
Rob Szarka	rob@lindylovers.com	860-886-6294	CT
Ken Mercik	ken@djkenm.com	860-749-5434	CT
Sue Cath	sue@suecathdance.com	978-500-1563	MA
Tom "Tommy Gee" Gendrachi	tgendrachi@hotmail.com	860-768-4752	CT
Paul Krakauske		207-828-1795	ME
Pete "DJPJ" Paraskevas	petedjpj@yahoo.com	207-879-2589	ME
Jackie Davis		781-871-3231	MA
J & L Sound		508-823-4811	MA
SuperShag Productions	chris@supershag.com	617-266-2258	MA
Randy Deats and Kathy St. Jean	ksj111@cox.net	401-463-1815	RI
K & S Music	kandsmusic@worldnet.att.net		RI
DanceSport of Boston	John & Anne Marie Paul	617-325-1562	Boston area

Last updated February 12, 2008.

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Disc Jockeys