![]() |
![]() |
|
The quiet man, Peter Riley, bursts into to life the moment he hits the mike. Founder member of the band, he plays his unique rhythm guitar in his own individual style, interwoven with a more traditional double bass, but is best remembered for his superb voice and magnetic stage presence. An aficionado of Western Swing, he has now emerged as one of the most charismatic front men on the Country, Swing and Jazz scenes and relished the chance to take the first ever British Western Swing band to the Legends of Western Swing Festival in Wichita Falls, Texas in 2008, which took the traditional Western Swing venues by storm and included the band's first appearance on US national television. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
| Stunning new girl on the block - and at the mike - is Cumbria's Kathleen Ord, one of the three young classical violinists, whose performing and recording experience ranges from classical choirs to big-band jazz and ceilidh bands. Another multi-instrumentalist, not only does she contribute some lively keyboard backing and even light percussion to supplement the drums, but now she has brought swinging alto sax solos to the Swing Commanders' ever-widening Country and Swing repertoire. | |
|
![]() |
| Former member of the duo, 'Broadcaster', top guitarist, 'Champion' Simon Brady is not only acknowledged as the best mandolin player on the British Country scene but is now attracting considerable attention on his unique 10-string Williamson Hawaian steel! Relishing the new opportunities to play in America and mainland Europe, in his role as vocalist and lead guitarist with the Swing Commanders he is has proved that he has also few equals in Britain as a soloist in the wide range of musical genres that now forms the band's revised playlist. | |
![]() |
![]() |
|
Still there is the girl with the wild hair and Texas fiddle, former classical violin soloist, Gaynor Sutcliffe. Founder of the Sutcliffe String Quartet, electric jazz duo, Sparx and the Laverne Sisters, she uses her wide musical experience and expertise to bring a unique slant to the band’s Latin, Swing and Country styles. When not leading the dancers on the floor, her powerful vocal harmonies, piano accordion solos, keyboard backings and double bass extravaganzas have added a dynamic impact to their live performances. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
|
Harmony vocals, keyboard, violin, double bass - not to be outdone is Naomi Koop. Another glamorous, classically trained violinist, she now contributes the main fiddle input to the band's newly extended Country repertoire. Her wide experience in the gypsy jazz style allows her to add a new dimension to Country fiddle and of course is a central element of the band's triple fiddle versions of some Western Swing classics. |
|


LINKS
Additional information and sound clips visit: www.myspace.com/theswingcommanders
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER LIPTROT. For more shots from the club scene, see www.folkimages.com
For information about Western Swing in all its glory, visit http://www.wswing.home.texas.net/
Line dance with puppets? See www.westcoasters.net
Country magic from Magill visit: www.magillstudios.co.uk
Country news on line: www.hannahvalize.com
King of the Jitterbug: http://www.gi-jive.co.uk/welcome.html
Swing Commanders show-time www.nettlebedmusicclub.co.uk/show
Your ticket into the Music Biz: www.newmusiclabel.com