A lot to catch up on!

Oh mon deux! We haven't updated the blog for ages! What's happened? Loads of great stuff, so much we didn't have time. Well that's our excuse anyway and we're sticking to it...

Where have we been? Gosh, don't know where to start.

We were just in the US again. Washington DC and then LA. So I'll start there...

DC was great as usual. The burgeoning swing scene is kept rolling mainly by Tom and Debra and their team; gottaswing.com.
We played at the beautiful Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo park in Maryland - one of the biggest original art deco ballrooms. Then we were at the Carlisle club, a new venture for gottaswing. Its a very nice supper club where you can dine and dance and even dress up for the occasion and it was sold out with standing room only.

Then we hit LA. The night we flew in we didn't have a gig so we took advantage of this rather unique opportunity and actually went to another gig to watch someone else perform for a change. We headed on down to Safari Sam's on Sunset Boulevard for a three band Western Swing extravaganza. Marty Smith and his Moonyhams, the Lucky Stars (featuring our mate Jeremy Wakefield - genius of the steel guitar - who is on our new album "Recipe for Rhythm") and the Hot Club of Cow Town. I have wanted to see them since we got their album a few years back. The Lucky Stars are great - one of the most original sounding bands I have heard and nearly all their own material too. Hot Club are just high energy (which of course we like) virtuoso hillbilly, western swing meets Django Reinheart and Stephen Grappelli. A fantastic and unique blend.

For our first actual gig in California this time we played at a new venue for us in Thousand Oaks. There were some great dancers, many from Moorpark College, and when we hit 'em with Sing, Sing, Sing they hit the floor for a great jam up. Then we played at Rusty's in Playa Del Ray by the beach and had the obligatory Fat Burger - which by the way is in our contract. Fat Burger are the best burgers, they're cooked to order and fresh and have the best music on their juke box! They have also been "converting vegetarians since 1952", apparently. Then it was back to Pasadena for the PBDA (Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association) which was extremely well attended with the parking lot (that's the car park for us British chaps) taking the excess as people alternated dancing and getting some air and refreshment.

Our favourite thing about the trip is that Toni Elizabeth Prima (who is also on the new album), brought her mum, the legendary Keely Smith, to see us - twice! And Keely is so nice. We got on really well and she came to visit us and hang out at the studio while we were recording. For those who don't know, Keely Smith and Louis Prima you had better check out youtube...and remember King Louis in the Jungle Book.

Keely is still singing and sounds great. She was in LA performing on the Grammy Awards. It was the 50th anniversary of the Grammies and she and Louis won one of the first Grammies in '58 for "That Old Black Magic" so she was on the show singing the winning song with Kid Rock and presenting one of the awards.

While in Hollywood we were in the Mad Hatter studio again recording three new songs for the next album. I know the latest one hasn't been released yet but one has to think into the future you know. (By the way "Recipe for Rhythm" is done and will be out soon - its amazing how long it takes to get an album into the market after you've finished it...exasperating eh?)

Anyway the album we have started working is gonna be fun. Its a little different and inspired by 1930s and '40s pulp fiction. You know, like the sort of style that inspired films like Indiana Jones and the Mummy - good action and adventure; loads of sci fi, pirates and cowboys etc...

Yes, there is a pirate song and our first "country" song, "Branded Outlaw". If anyone out there has any ideas of good old adventure fiction stories please let us know - or old pulp styled films or series etc. Also let us know if you like re-enacting (dressing up) as pirates, cowboys, WWII pilots etc for when we do a music video.

It was another great trip to the States and good to see all our friends - we'll miss you, and the weather, until we se you again in May. Till we meet for another great American milk shake, Cheers!

Oh and Hayley says "hello" (explanation; as I am sitting in Costa Coffee {which to any Americans is like Starbucks but with coffee} in Stevenage after a Say No to Drugs gig, Hayley, young and talented singer, double bassist and dancer, has been reading my ramblings and added to it, as you can see here - copy and paste it because one day she will probably be very well known and you can have one of her first pieces of writing..).

10/12/07

OK this has got to be one of the coolest things ever to happen! Today we got to meet one of our all-time heroes, the legend that is Keely Smith.
Toni Elizabeth, daughter of Keely and Louis Prima has become a good friend of the Jive Aces over the past few years and is even featured as a guest on our new album. She has been attempting to bring Mum along to a show for ages and today she came. Keely loved the show and even told us it was the best show she had seen since Louis! You can't get a better compliment, I mean we are talking about someone who is not only a great artist herself but has seen and worked with EVERYBODY including duets with Frank.

03/11/07

Our second Jive-Ola went down a storm. Thanks to all the help we got, especially from Della, our DJs Rob and Jeff and our special guests Laura B, Henri Herbert and surprise guest Jackson Sloane from Oo Bop Sh'Bam.

03/11/07

Our second Jive-Ola went down a storm. A HUGE thanks to everybody who helped us put it on in cluding Della from Rock-Ola, our DJs Rob and Jeff and our special guests Laura B and Henri Herbert and also our special surprise guest, Jackson Sloane from Oo Bop Sh'Bam.

John's birthday dance!Check out the date for all our other Big Jive gig at www.jiveaces.com

22/07/09

Another sellout night at Bibi's Italianissimo in Leeds! Whata fabulous venue and they do a mean tiramisu! It's like walking on to the set of a Fred Astaire movie, with live music and great food added in. Can't wait to go back in October. Here you can see the boys liked the food so much that they couldn't keep out of the kitchen, even during the set!

17/08/07 - 20/08/07

Over the Irish Sea and a date in Bangor with the Commitments in Castle Park. That afternoon we also appeared on our old friend, Geroge Jones', show on U Radio.

Next day we drove to Derry for the grand opening of Harry's in Bridgend but not before a spot on BBC Foyle.


Then we hotfooted it down to Bangor for our mate Steve's birthday party where we were joined by some Irish celebrities including the guy who was on Big Brother.



Next we winged it down to Dublin for a huge "Say No To Drugs" event in Grafton Street before a return appearance at the Cafe En Seine.



Then the ferry home...

13/08/07 - 15/08/07

Back in the van and up to Edinburgh for three days of madness with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, Craig McMurdo and Lenny Love. We even got a great review in the Glasgow Herald.


Jojo and Isla (AKA the Bee's Knees) were there too performing at Lost Vagueness and joined us in the street at our "Say No To Drugs, Say Yes To Life" event.

12/08/07

An early morning flight from Haugesund to Stansted and then a drive straight across country to Wales. Our first appearance at the Brecon Jazz Festival was a blast. We shared the stage with old mates such as Mike Sanchez and the boys from Oceans Seven, Ben Waters with Chris Jagger and Ray Gelato was playing down the road. It was a jive fans dream!

07/07/08 - 11/08/07

One of our favourite festivals of the year had come round again. This time we took things a step further and went for an extra day. The initial gig was opening for the legendary rock band TOTO. Check out us with the guys.

It was great to see all the lindy hoppers down from Bergen and Stavanger and good to catch up with old friends such as Harry Conolly, George Hassan and Gay Macintyre, the Fallen Heroes and we also got to see who we have officially titled "The Worlds' Greatest Jazz Band" (TM), the Jazzin' Babies. If you want to see, hear and feel exciting, hot, traditional jazz that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, check these guys out. They are from Oslo though but do travel occasionally.






We also did local TV, radio and a few outdoor shows too, they make us earn our fish soup at the jam session every night!

04/08/08

Another day another country! We flew to Germany today to the Jazzival in Gladbeck. Not having done this festival before we were not sure what to expect but the sight of 2000 jazz fans cheering you is very welcoming. Acker Bilk and Rod Mason were also on the bill.













The Floogees (Holland's greatest Lindy Hop troupe!) drove all the way from Amsterdam and dazzled the crowd!

30/07/07

An early start after a late night and a drive to the centre of London for Joanne Goode's breakfast show. Also on air was George Webley who provided this action shot.

29/07/07

Our first ever line dance gig at the "South Will Rise Again" Festival in Bournemouth and it was great. Apart from the several songs they already knew that had dances choreographed to them, we had a helping hand from Alan and Fiona Hayward who listed out the dances for everyone.

22/07/07

Thought we could take it easy after yesterday's madness? Think again!

The last set of the year at the War and Peace show and the Victory Marquee was jam packed!

We then hot footed it off to Blenheim Palace (birthplace of Winston Churchill) and played after the spectacular air show for the Fly to the Past airshow. Our good friend John Miller had been entertaining the crowds in the afternoon between displays too.


Check out the pics, on stage, with the dancers from the Oxford Swing Dance Society and Helen and her brand new Harry Potter book which she bought and read ont he first day of release during the airshow!

21/07/07

Now I'll start off by saying that today's logistics are impossible... But that doesn't mean it can't be done!

We started off the day with the usual lunchtime set at the War and Peace show, threw the gear int he van and headed to Victoria Park in Hackney for the Lovebox Festival where we played om the "Insect Circus Stage". We played and had just enough rain to make Singin' in the Rain look good.

We then jumped onto the golf buggy to take us across back to the car park, jumped into the van and bolted up to Royston, Herts for the Jazz in the Stables concert for a 7:30pm start.

Phew!

20/07/07

Today we spent the entire day at the War and Peace show. We started of the lunchtime set as usual and then played to a sell-out crowd for the evening dance. Thanks to Terry Elliott for not only playing a great set of tunes but he also organizes all the entertainment for the war and Peace Show every year!

19/07/07

Another lunchtime set at the War and Peace show and then off to Reading for another year at the Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival. Last Year we broke the Thursday attendance record and this year was no different and we topped it yet again! Thanks to Richard Leach's seven Stars of Jazz for a great set of New Orleans and Swing tunes.

Hope to See you all next year!

18/07/07

Today is the first day of the War and Peace show at the Hop Farm in Paddock, Kent.

We had a great crowd in for the afternoon set including the ever smiling Belgian!

See you all and more tomorrow at the same time!

17/07/07

This is the start of a long week!

Today we made a presentation of the work we do on the "Say No To Drugs, Say Yes To Life" campaign at Saint Hill which was attended by Mayors, deputy Mayors, town councilors, town centre managers, drug workers and other dignitaries.

It started off with us playing a few numbers to set the tone (as it is "Say Yes To Life" as well as the "No To Drugs" bit!)

We also had a presentation form the campaign coordinator from the Church of Scientology who sponsor and organize the campaign, a demonstration of the Narconon drug education lecture form Noel Nile and a couple of graduates speaking from the Narconon drug rehabilitation program in Hastings who are now 100% drug free.

8/07/07

If you are feeling worn out reading the last lot of Blogs then wait for this...

Got up early after the Americana, drove all the way to Erith in Kent for a "bright" and early performance for the Tour De France starting around 11:00am.

Chucked the stuff in the van and headed over to Tenterden for another Tour De France festival in the park with loads of other acts and bands. Well done to the Homewood 9th years who had worked out some great jive routines for our set!

Chucked the stuff in the van again and headed to Hayes near Bromley for a gig at the Warren with none other than our good mate John Miller and his orchestra. It was great to catch up with John and if you missed the show we'll be playing twice more i nthe near future with him, at the Fly To The Past event at Blenheim Palace and also at the Glenn Miller Festival at Twinwood near Bedford. All details on the gig guide at www.jiveaces.com/gig_guide.

7/07/07

Up to Notts to the Americana festival. We played in between Johnny and the Jailbirds and the Hamsters on the Rock 'n' Roll stage then went over to the Country stage to watch the Swing Commanders and their new lineup including the Laverne (hope that's spelled correctly!) Sisters. Really nice sound, especially when they get the three fiddles going at once. Good luck guys and see ya'll soon.