The Jive Aces

The Jive Aces
The Jive Aces in concert
Background information
Origin Billericay, Essex, England
Genres Pop, rock, swing, skiffle
Years active 1989–present
Labels Right Recordings, Golden Age Recordings
Website www.jiveaces.com
Members
  • Ian Clarkson
  • Ken Smith
  • Vince Hurley
  • Peter Howell
  • John Fordham
  • Alex Douglas

The Jive Aces are a six-piece UK based,[1][2] swing band that was formed in 1989.[3] They were the winners of BBC TV's Opportunity Knocks,[4] and Britain's Got Talent semi-finalists in 2012.[5][6] They have recorded singles and albums,[7] and have performed at numerous music festivals.[8][9]

The band is recognized as one of the top swing bands in the world,[10][11] something borne out by their extensive international travel (the band has performed in over 30 countries). The June 2015 issue of Vintage Rock magazine described them as the "UK's number one jive and swing band".[12]

They received an award from Variety, the Children's Charity[13] and the City of Derry International Music Award in 2006.[14][15]. On 12 September 2018 The Jive Aces won "Best Band" at the Boisdale Music Awards[16]. The award was presented by Jools Holland, who then joined the band for a boogie woogie jam session[17].

The band is also notable for having strong links to the Church of Scientology[18] as members of the Sea Organization,[19] and for promoting the religion and its missions. Some critics of the Church of Scientology claim that The Jive Aces are used as a front group for Scientology; Mike Rinder, former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International and the Sea Organization, claims that the band is used for generating "positive PR" for the church.[19]

Career

On 9 July 2010, the band headlined at the first ever swing dance at the Royal Albert Hall.[20] They played to approximately 1,400 dancers on the 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) dance floor, with support from the Back To Basie Orchestra and Top Shelf Jazz.[21] In late August 2010, the Jive Aces performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in a show tributing one of their musical heroes, Louis Prima.[22] In February 2011, after recording in Los Angeles, they toured the United States, including opening for legendary singer Keely Smith, the former wife of Louis Prima.[23] Keely Smith has also sung with the band on a number of occasions, including shows in Los Angeles, Palm Desert,[24] Phoenix and at the Edinburgh Fringe.[25] The band played London's famous jazz venue Ronnie Scotts for the first time in July 2011 and sold out. The band has since played there several times a year, selling out every time.[26][27] In Spring 2015, the band did their biggest tour to date, 6 weeks of major theatres around the US (mostly 1000-2000+ capacity).[28][29][30][31] The tour was a huge success,[32] with biannual USA tours every year since.[33][34]

Viral video "Bring Me Sunshine"

In March 2011 the band produced a YouTube video for their cover of the Morecambe and Wise theme song Bring Me Sunshine in a Louis Prima, jive style. It went on to win several awards at film festivals,[35] and a Silver Telly Award.[36] The video is noted for its uplifting quality and has even been prescribed by a US doctor for depression, as noted in national media.[37][38]

Britain's Got Talent

In January 2012 The Jive Aces auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, with the audition airing on week 6 on Saturday 28 April 2012,[39] performing the band's version of the Jungle Book classic, I Wanna Be Like You.[40][41][42] The band greatly impressed the judges, with Simon Cowell calling them "Absolutely brilliant"[43] and adding "That really put me in a good mood"! They went on to become the first live band to get through to the live semi-finals of BGT.

Performing for HM The Queen

On 15 May 2012 the Jive Aces performed for HM the Queen & HRH Prince Philip on their visit to Bromley as part of her majesty's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.[44] The band also performed as part of the Jubilee celebration in Hyde Park,[45] featuring alongside other BGT acts. In 2013 the band played 4 shows at Buckingham Palace for The Coronation Festival,[46][47] the first ever public festival inside the grounds of the palace.[48]

Glastonbury and other festivals

In May 2015 it was announced that The Jive Aces would perform on the Avalon Stage at the world famous Glastonbury Festival.[49][50][51][52] This was the bands second appearance at Glastonbury, but their first on the Avalon Stage. The band's set was considered a highlight of this year's festival[53] and a short clip of a mid-set keyboard collapse and speedy recovery by pianist Hurley went viral with online features in the Mirror (who called Hurley "Brilliantly committed" and "a hero of Glastonbury")[54] and Telegraph,[55] and as far afield as Nigeria[56] and Singapore.[57]

The band has also appeared at numerous major festivals including Lovebox,[58] Montreux,[59] Hop Farm Festival,[60] Bearded Theory,[61] Ascona,[62] North Sea Jazz,[63] Jazz a Montauban,[64] Bansko Jazz[65] Cork Jazz,[66] Lunel Jazz,[67] Klaipeda Jazz,[68] Edinburgh Fringe,[69] Viva Las Vegas[70] and even as far afield as Thailand for the Bangkok Intl Festival of Dance & Music.[71]

The Jive Aces have also performed at many special events including the London Olympics at Trafalgar Square,[72] both Conservative Party and TUC Conferences and for a crowd of 15,000 at the "Moonwalk[73] " cancer charity fundraising walk in London.

The band has put on their own annual charity festival, "Summertime Swing[74] ", in the grounds of Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, since 2004. The event has featured many well known jazz and roots performers including Keely Smith, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, Laurie London, Chas McDevitt and Ray Gelato. In the last 3 years alone the event has raised £17,000 for charities including The Not Forgotten Association.[75]

The Jive Aces returned to Glastonbury Festival in 2017, with an appearance on the prestigious Acoustic Stage[76].

Recordings

The band has released 11 studio albums, plus 2 EP's and various singles and contributions to compilation albums.

On 1 June 2015 the band released their ninth studio album Spread a Little Happiness, featuring the single "La Dolce Vita",[77] "Smile", "L.O.V.E" and nine other tracks including five original songs. This album, along with all of the bands releases since 2005, was recorded at Mad Hatter Studios[78] in Los Angeles, CA. Most of their recent recording projects have been done with Grammy winning mixer/engineers Brian Vibberts[79] and Buck Snow.[80]

In 2017/18 They released their tenth and eleventh studio album "Diggin' The Roots Vol 1: Rockin' Rhythm & Blues" and "Diggin' The Roots Vol 2: Hot Jazz". These two albums pay tribute to R&B influences such as Big Joe Turner and Louis Jordan in Vol 1 and Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller in Vol 2 and received great reviews.[81][82]

Collaborations

The Jive Aces have featured many guest artists on their recordings, including Chick Corea, Kenny Ball,[83] Mark Isham, Ray Gelato,[84] Mr Acker Bilk, Toni Elizabeth Prima, The Satin Dollz, The Flirtinis, Rebecca Grant,[85] and The Three Belles.

In live performance the band has worked with Van Morrison,[86] Keely Smith,[87] John Travolta,[88] Kenny Ball[89] (with whom they worked extensively on the Jazz Meets Jive theatre tour 2010-12[90][91]) and since 2014 have been featuring West End star Cassidy Janson[92] (Wicked,[93] Avenue Q,[94] Dessa Rose,[95] etc.) as guest singer at many shows.

Original Songs

Although the band predominantly plays covers in their live performances, all members of the band have written songs for the bands studio albums. Some of the best known are "La Dolce Vita",[77] "Ukulele Swing","Christmas Is Where You Are" and "London Rhythm ", which was used as theme song for Jo Good's BBC Radio London show.[96] All of the band's albums feature some original tunes and the concept album "Amazing Adventures" (inspired by film noir and pulp fiction of the 40's & 50's) is entirely self penned.

Promotion of Scientology


The band have been known to perform up to 300 times a year,[97] often promoting Scientology[18] or presenting an anti-drugs message.[98] They have been noted for their "energetic" and "confident" performances, which they attribute to "workable solutions found in Scientology religious principles".[99]

The Jive Aces have supported the Church of Scientology's Say No To Drugs campaign since 1996,[100] performing to shoppers in city centres throughout the UK,[101][102][102][103] to give a message to young people[104] that it is "not cool to take drugs", through distribution of "Truth About Drugs" booklets written by the Church.

The self-produced materials used in these campaigns have been described as "discredited pseudoscience"[105] and without "pharmacological basis"[106] by health care professionals.

In April 2012, the band lent their support to the Multi-Marathon for a Drug-Free UK, a 130-mile run organised by the Church of Scientology from London to Brighton in Crawley, West Sussex, not too far from Saint Hill Manor, a site regarded as the British headquarters of the Church.[107]

Discography

Albums

  • 1992 Jumpin' with the Aces (Mumbo Jumbo)
  • 1996 Our Kinda Jive (JA Recordings)
  • 1997 Bolt from the Blue (Right Recordings)
  • 1998 Planet Jive (Right Recordings)
  • 2005 Life is a Game (Right Recordings)
  • 2008 Recipe for Rhythm (Right Recordings)
  • 2009 Dance All Night (Right Recordings)
  • 2011 Amazing Adventures (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2011 It's Skiffle Time EP (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2012 King of the Swingers: A Salute to Louis Prima (Golden Age Recordings)[108][109]
  • 2013 Christmas is Where You Are EP (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2015 Spread a Little Happiness (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2017 Diggin' The Roots Vol 1: Rockin' Rhythm & Blues (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2018 Diggin' The Roots Vol 2: Hot Jazz (Golden Age Recordings)

Singles

  • 2002 White Hot Christmas (Right Recordings)
  • 2006 Singing in the Rain (Right Recordings)
  • 2006 White Cliffs of Dover (Right Recordings)
  • 2011 Bring Me Sunshine (Golden Age Recordings)
  • 2018 Music, Music, Music (Right Recordings)

References

  1. ↑ ""BBC Children in Need – party the night away at Duxford", ''bbc.co.uk'', 15 Nov, 2006". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  2. ↑ ""Jazz greats hit the right notes", ''Belfast Telegraph'', Northern Ireland, 8 May 2003". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Jive Aces returning to their homeland". Basildon Recorder. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  4. ↑ Music men spell out the message, Cambridge Town Crier, cambridge-news.co.uk, 17 February 1996. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  5. ↑ Wills, Kate (5 May 2012). "Did your favourite acts make it through to the semi-final of Britain's Got Talent?".
  6. ↑ "Britain's Got Talent: 45 finalists revealed as auditions come to an end". 5 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Allmusic.com Directory". Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "2008: The Jive Aces". Fest Magazine. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  9. ↑ "2007 festival review". BBC. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  10. ↑ "Top swing band jiving into Clacton theatre". Clacton and Frinton Gazette.
  11. ↑ "Jive Aces to set Stamford Corn Exchange swinging".
  12. ↑ https://anthem.subscribeonline.co.uk/Back-Issues/vintage-rock-back-issues
  13. ↑ "Red cross thanks local people", Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 24 May 2006,
  14. ↑ "Celebrating Jazz With the City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival". 4 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "The Jive Aces at the Royal Victoria Hall Theatre, Southborough", thisissussex.com, 28 November 2008
  16. ↑ https://www.boisdale.co.uk/bespoke-events/brian-mcfadden-natasha-hamilton-alexander-oneal-fleur-east-donovan/
  17. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPMDIMWJ4qg
  18. 1 2 "Man about Derry", Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 8 May 2003, ,
    The first bunch of musicians I ran into were the brilliant Jive Aces, from London, who were rocking it up in Da Vinci's. One of the more interesting features of the band is their membership of the Church of Scientology...Jive Aces defend Scientology promo", Foyle News (sydicated at the Derry Journal site), 7 May 2008
  19. 1 2 ""We're The Jive Aces and We're All Scientologists"". Mike Rinder's Blog. 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  20. ↑ Desk, BWW News. "The Jive Aces Lead 'In Full Swing' at Royal Albert Hall, 7/9".
  21. ↑ "Royalalberthall.com". Royalalberthall.com. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  22. ↑ "Edinburghspotlight.com". Edinburghspotlight.com. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  23. ↑ "Cabaret Scenes review NYC". www.cabaretscenes.org. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  24. ↑ "retroradar.com". www.retroradar.com.
  25. ↑ "FRINGE REVIEW – The Jive Aces, Celebrating the Music of Louis Prima & Keely Smith".
  26. ↑ https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/performances/view/4942-sunday-jazz-lunch-jive-aces
  27. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011. ronniescotts.co.uk/performances/view/600-sunday-jazz-lunch-jive-aces
  28. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  29. ↑ "Swingtime featuring The Jive Aces". www.gulfshorelife.com.
  30. ↑ "at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers, FL". www.bbmannpah.com.
  31. ↑ rick.deyampert@news-jrnl.com, RICK de YAMPERT. "'Swingtime!' plays Flagler Auditorium".
  32. ↑ Milwaukee, Urban. "Wilson Center to Host Sold-Out Performance by Britain's Got Talent Stars The Jive Aces this November".
  33. ↑ "GC News - Garden City News - Garden City, NY - Garden City News". Garden City News.
  34. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "MUSIC VIDEOS". rincon.festivalgenius.com.
  36. ↑ "Winners – Telly Awards".
  37. ↑ McCormack, Kirsty (4 April 2013). "Doctor prescribes The Jive Aces' 'Bring Me Sunshine' video to patient with winter blues".
  38. ↑ "Doctor's orders to beat winter blues: Jive Aces' rendition of Bring Me".
  39. ↑ "Oh, oobee doo! The Jive Aces wanna be like you-oo-oo". Britain's Got Talent. talent.itv.com. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  40. ↑ "Britain's Got Talent show six: Jive Aces put Simon in good mood". Britain's Got Talent. programmes.stv.tv. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  41. ↑ "Jive Aces bring the sunshine to Simon Cowell & Britain's Got Talent 2012!". Britain's Got Talent. unrealitytv.co.uk. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  42. ↑ "Jive Aces impress Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent". Britain's Got Talent. planetjive.freeuk.com. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  43. ↑ "STV programmes news and information". Live Local.
  44. ↑ Ball, Jane. "Jive Aces: From busking in Romford to singing for the Queen!".
  45. ↑ "PLANET JIVE NEWS". www.planetjive.freeuk.com.
  46. ↑ "Sussex News - Latest local news, pictures, video - Kent Live". www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk.
  47. ↑ Gary Marlowe (14 August 2013). "Images of the Coronation Festival".
  48. ↑ "The Buckingham Palace Coronation Festival". The Buckingham Palace Coronation Festival.
  49. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  50. ↑ "Set times reveal this year's worst Glastonbury clashes". 23 June 2015.
  51. ↑ "Glastonbury Festival 2015 Sunday line-up". 28 June 2015 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  52. ↑ "Sussex News - Latest local news, pictures, video - Kent Live". www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk.
  53. ↑ "Glastonbury Festival".
  54. ↑ McCrum, Kirstie (29 June 2015). "Watch Glastonbury piano player get a shock onstage - but does it stop the show?".
  55. ↑ Krol, Charlotte; 2015, video source Newsflare / jiveaces 7:56PM BST 30 Jun (30 June 2015). "Pianist keeps playing after piano collapses at Glastonbury".
  56. ↑ "onigeria.com". www.onigeria.com.
  57. ↑ "Page not found – Singapore News". www.singaporenews.sg.
  58. ↑ "Lovebox Weekender - Saturday". Resident Advisor.
  59. ↑ http://www.jazzphone.ch/photos_concerts/2003/20030719_the%20jive%20aces/20030719_the_jive_aces_01.jpg
  60. ↑ http://thetechnolair.co.uk/blog/2010/07/04/hop-farm-festival/
  61. ↑ "Bearded Theory 2013 Festival Review - SonicAbuse". 26 May 2013.
  62. ↑ http://www.bondeno.com/2011/07/12/jazzascona-2011/
  63. ↑ "The Jive Aces - NN North Sea Jazz Festival". www.northseajazz.com.
  64. ↑ "Montauban.com - Jazz à Montauban 2013". www.montauban.com.
  65. ↑ http://www.public-republic.net/bansko-jazz-2011-the-jive-aces.php/
  66. ↑ "Weather fails to dampen jazz weekend festive spirits". 23 October 2010.
  67. ↑ "Ville de Lunel".
  68. ↑ "Reveling in all that jazz". www.baltictimes.com.
  69. ↑ https://www.festmag.co.uk/archive/2008/93809-the_jive_aces
  70. ↑ "Viva Las Vegas 15 Rockabilly Weekend - The Guitar is still the Star- by Frankie Tease". www.frankietease.com.
  71. ↑ "The cure for any ailment - The Nation".
  72. ↑ http://www.demotix.com/photo/1414694/jive-aces-and-swing-patrol-trafalgar-square
  73. ↑ http://www.demotix.com/news/7631870/london-moon-walk-2015-clapham-common/all-media
  74. ↑ "Summertime Swing #11 (Vintage music festival) 2015".
  75. ↑ http://www.nfassociation.org/2014/09/jive-aces-donate-5000/
  76. ↑ https://www.alivenetwork.com/latest-news/alive-artists-rock-glastonbury-2017
  77. 1 2 "PLANET JIVE NEWS". www.planetjive.freeuk.com.
  78. ↑ "Royer Ribbon Microphones Used Extensively By Jive Ace On Latest Album - ProSoundWeb". 16 March 2011.
  79. ↑ "Portland Native Brian Vibberts Nominated For 3rd Grammy".
  80. ↑ "ROYER RIBBONS USED EXTENSIVELY ON NEW JIVE ACES ALBUM".
  81. ↑ http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2017/07/jive-aces/
  82. ↑ https://theaudiophileman.com/jive-aces/
  83. ↑ "Recording: Sheik of Araby by The Jive Aces featuring Kenny Ball and Hossam Ramzy - SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com.
  84. ↑ http://www.virginmedia.com/music/browse/the-jive-aces/songs/3467828
  85. ↑ "An interview with Ian Clarkson and Rebecca Grant from the Jive Aces - Queen of Extreme Productions". www.queenofextreme.co.uk.
  86. ↑ "The Man bounces back to thrill us; REVIEW Van Morrison Music North Wales Theatre, Llandudno. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com.
  87. ↑ "Articles - Desert Entertainer - Palm Desert CA". www.desertentertainer.com.
  88. ↑ http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Swing-band-Jive-Aces-Gloucester-stage/story-22870186-detail/story.html
  89. ↑ "Kenny Ball joins forces".
  90. ↑ http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Jazz-Meets-Jive-Leicester-s-Montfort-Hall/story-12088601-detail/story.html
  91. ↑ "On the Ball at 80". The Northern Echo.
  92. ↑ "Swansea: The latest news, sport, what's on and business from Swansea and Gower". www.llanellistar.co.uk.
  93. ↑ "Big Interview: Cassidy Janson". www.westendframe.com.
  94. ↑ "Cassidy Janson". 8 June 2016.
  95. ↑ "Cynthia Erivo, Cassidy Janson, Jon Robyns, Edward Baruwa and more cast for Dessa Rose at the Trafalgar Studios". 30 June 2014.
  96. ↑ "Rachel Harris and Talvin Singh, Victoria Aspden, Phil Nichol and Clem Lovell, Jo Good and Simon Lederman - BBC Radio London". BBC.
  97. ↑ "Jive Aces are the kings of the swingers", Morecambe Today, 25 March 2009
  98. ↑ Rutter, John: "Scientologists back anti-drugs festival", The Scotsman, 22 August 2002
  99. ↑ citation needed
  100. ↑ photo caption, The Croydon Post, trinitymirror.com, 31 January 1996. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  101. ↑ http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/scientologist-rock-n-rollers-the-jives-aces-bring-anti-drugs-message-to-sunderland-1-6490879
  102. 1 2 http://www.lep.co.uk/what-s-on/music/just-say-yes-to-anti-drugs-show-1-6435100
  103. ↑ Group jives against drugs, The Tunbridge Wells & Crowborough Times, archant.co.uk, 15 May 1996. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  104. ↑ "Duke Ellington School of the Arts Students Jam With top UK Band Jive Aces – The Washington Sun". thewashingtonsun.com.
  105. ↑ Mathis-Lilley, Ben. "A Scientology-Run Anti-Drug Group Works Extensively in New York City Schools". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  106. ↑ "Parents Outraged After Scientology-Sponsored Group Delivers Anti-Drug Messages At New York City Schools". International Business Times. 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  107. ↑ "Band helps blast out an anti-drug message". thisissussex. Crawley Observer. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  108. ↑ "Review: The Jive Aces – King Of The Swingers: A Salute To Louis Prima".
  109. ↑ "The Jive Aces Exclusive Interview".

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