Big Band Spectacular

The Paul Dunlea Big Band is a professional large jazz ensemble that provides a platform for Ireland’s finest jazz improvising talent, big band virtuosi and – most importantly – new composers and arrangers. The band has performed sell-out shows across the country in venues including The Opera House, Cork, The Grand Opera House, Belfast & The Everyman Theatre – Cork along with headlining the 2015 Cork & Limerick Jazz Festivals.

Entire concerts have also been broadcast nationally on both RTE and BBC radio. Although the bulk of the band’s material is written or arranged by Paul Dunlea, the band perform works by leading composers from home and abroad as well as classic big band repertoire. To date, the PDBB has collaborated/performed with Mick Flannery, Cathal Coughlan, Niall McCabe, Jack O’ Rourke, John Spillane, Camille O Sullivan, Gareth Dunlop, Brian Houston, Dana Masters, Tony Micelli & Paul Jost.

“a thoughtful and sensitive composer, with a gift for blending instruments to paint pictures in sound”

– The Irish Independent

For more information see www.pauldunleamusic.com

THE SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1967 by trumpeter and arranger Syd Lawrence, The fabulous SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA has been thrilling audiences in Concert Halls, Theatres, TV Shows and Music Festivals all over Great Britain and Continental Europe for over 40 years. Renowned for its exciting blend of high octane Big Band Swing and Classic Dance Music, the Orchestra’s repertoire ranges from the wartime million sellers of the legendary Glenn Miller through the era of the great Count Basie Orchestra to the hit songs of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Count Basie himself described the Syd Lawrence Orchestra as “So good it should be BANNED!” and it has recently been voted “Best Big Band in the Land” for the eighth consecutive year.

The Orchestra, directed since Syd’s retirement in 1996 by Chris Dean, has a repertoire of over 1,200 classic Big Band titles including Glenn Miller´s “Moonlight Serenade” and “In the Mood”, Tommy Dorsey´s “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” and “Opus One”, Benny Goodman´s “Sing, Sing, Sing”, Artie Shaw´s “Begin The Beguine”, Woody Herman’s “Blues on Parade”, Ray Anthony’s “Mr Anthony’s Boogie” , Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll”, Bert Ambrose’s “Night Ride”, Count Basie´s “April in Paris” and “Splanky”, Charlie Barnet´s “Skyliner”, Stan Kenton´s “Peanut Vendor”, the “Trumpet Blues” of Harry James, “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” of Les Brown, the hits of Billy May and Ted Heath’s “Hot Toddy”.

Hits from the Great American Songbooks of George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin and singers Frank Sinatra, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Sammy Davis Jr, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Matt Monro, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Barbara Streisand etc are also featured in the programme.

Chris Dean believes in leading the Orchestra with pace and good humour, performing the classics of the swing era in a way that entertains the audience. “The music is what people want to hear” says Chris, “information they can get in books, they come to a concert to be entertained, not to hear a lecture”.

Chris’s aim has been to increase the number of young musicians playing Big Band Swing. Recent changes in personnel of the Orchestra have proved the worth of this ambition. The “new blood” of some of today’s finest young jazz musicians has brought a new fire and drive to the Orchestra’s performances which has been reflected in rave reviews and numerous Sold Out concerts.

In Concert in addition to roaring Big Band numbers and Suites and Overtures no longer performed by any other orchestra, there are vocals from Bandleader Chris Dean and from Star guest vocalists.

Location of event - Get Directions

Venue Information - Cork Opera House

The region's premier arts and entertainment venue, presenting and producing a diverse programme of performances for each and every member of our community