Swing Swindlers

Swing Swindlers
Background information
Origin Tallinn, Estonia
Genres Swing orchestra
Years active 2004 - present
Website www.martsander.com

Swing Swindlers (also known as the Bel-Etage Swing Orchestra) [1] is an orchestra specializing in dance music from the thirties and forties. The 16-member orchestra was formed by Mart Sander, singer and conductor, in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2004. The group consists of young musicians, most of them the members of the Estonian National Opera.[2]

The Swing Swindlers attempts to recreate the sound of the thirties, using authentic recording locations and experimenting with sonic landscapes and sound equipment. In 2005, the Swing Swindlers issued an album in the UK called Five-Fifteen: A Tribute to the BBC Dance Orchestra,[3] which was nominated as Jazz Album of the Week by the Evening Standard in January 2006. Other recordings include Nüüd Lendame! (Come Fly With Me, 2005), Tantsud Tähtedega (Strictly Come Dancing, 2006), Deutsche Swingmusic / German Swing Music 1939-1945 (2006). This programme was also filmed, recreating an authentic look and atmosphere of a 1945 film, as "Musik unter Bomben" (Music under bombs, 2007). The Swing Swindlers has released 12 albums of swing music and 3 albums of theatre and concert music.[4]

In addition to Sander, the featured vocalists include Pirjo Püvi, Kelli Uustani, Nele-Liis Vaiksoo, Rolf Roosalu, Koit Toome, Maarja-Liis Ilus, Hanna-Liina Võsa, Pirjo Levandi, Mariliina von Üxküll, Gerli Padar, Imre Saarna and Mikk Saar. The orchestra also features a ballet troupe.

In 2006 and 2007 the Swings Swindlers were the official orchestra of the first seasons of Estonian version of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, with Sander also hosting the programme. Since 2007, the orchestra has worked in the semifinal of the Estonian Pop Idol (Eesti otsib superstaari). Some of the singers that the orchestra accompanied, including finalist Luisa Värk and the winner of the second season, Birgit Õigemeel, have since performed with the orchestra. In 2012, Mart Sander also joined the panel of judges in the program.

In 2012, a new line up of young musicians was formed. The band began to move away from 'swing' towards 'sweet' of 1930s. The album, Swing And Sweet was released in Estonia in August 2012 and will be released internationally bu Divine Art in 2015. Their most recent projects are an album dedicated to the music of the Jewish-Austrian operetta composer, Pal Abraham, and an album of Italian dance music from the 1940s.

Notes

  1. ↑ Swing Swindlers at the Divine Art website
  2. ↑ Official website
  3. ↑ Review of Swing Swindlers' album Five-Fifteen
  4. ↑ Official website
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