Syd Lawrence Orchestra coming to The Apex next month

The Best Big Band in the land is back at The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, next month, with a rip-roaring swing extravaganza, packed with Big Band favourites.

Founded in 1967 by trumpeter and arranger Syd Lawrence,The Syd Lawrence Orchestra (pictured above) has been thrilling audiences for almost 60 years, with its exciting blend of high-octane Big Band Swing and Classic Dance music.

With their masterful recreation of legendary bands like Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Ted Heath, the Syd Lawrence Orchestra brings to life the music that once filled the grand dance halls.

Directed by Chris Dean and featuring a dynamite blend of outstanding soloists and vocalists, impeccable section work, and a hard-swinging rhythm section, the orchestra delivers a performance that will transport you to a bygone era.

Adding a touch of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald to the mix creates the ultimate recipe for the best Big Band show around.

Since Syd’s retirement in 1996, the orchestra has been directed by Chris Dean, who 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.

The “new blood” of some of today’s finest young jazz musicians has brought fire and drive to the orchestra’s performances, ensuring they remain the most enduringly popular Big Band in Britain today.

The Syd Lawrence Orchestra is at The Apex, on Wednesday, April 9, at 7.30pm. See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information, or to book tickets.