Apr 13

Swing Legacy

Category: dances

Swing Legacy, a six piece little big band has been a fixture of the Boston swing scene since 1991, playing with the style and informed of the great big bands from the swing era. Their repertoire concentrates on classic big band swing music including many Duke Ellington and Count Basie numbers ideal for Lindy Hop and swing dancing. Much of their great catalog of songs showcases their phenomenal singer, Debby Larkin. It promises to be a night full of exciting original arrangements that will keep you dancing all night long!

Here’s a short story as told to us by their larger-than-life saxophone player, Ted Casher

(on right) Ted Casher

“I was gigging with Bo Winiker Orchestra at the Faneuil Hall Rotunda for a Wellesley College 10-year class reunion. Bo said that we could play anything we wanted, only as soft as possible! We were playing bebop tunes, the ladies were reuniting, when I noticed a tall, good-looking man listening intently, standing up against the wall. At the end of the set, he came up to me and asked, “Is that the new Dukoff mouthpiece? I’ve heard about it. Sounds good!”

We talked on—he was knowledgeable about reeds and mouthpieces, and I asked “Are you playing now? He answered, “Not much these days. I’m the Governor of Arkansas, and I don’t have time to practice.”

I then asked, “Wanna play?” He said, “Sure!”, and so I grabbed Bo and said “I’ve got a tenor player who wants to sit in—he’s the Governor of Arkansas.” Bo said “Sure”, and so I gave William Jefferson Clinton a spare strap and my tenor sax. I grabbed my alto, and we all played.

We played some blues, followed by “Perdido”, then “Take the A-Train.” You could tell that Bill had spent time with the instrument — he knew such minutae as the out-choruses to “Perdido” and “A-Train”. He also soloed well — didn’t make any blatant errors!

The alumnae were beginning to come up to the bandstand to watch him play, and after the set was over, a lady with brown wavy hair and big hexagonal glasses came up and said to him “You sounded great, Dear!” It was Hillary Rodham Clinton!

The next time I saw Bill Clinton, I was playing a fundraiser for him at the Parker House. And the next time, I was in DC with the Winiker Orchestra, playing lead alto at his Inauguration!”

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm – 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm – 12:00am
General Admission: $15
Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $13

The Crosby Whistle Stop
24 Roland Street
Charlestown, MA 02129

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