Booking Open! Essex Swing Dance Special - Feat. Jay Craig and his Orchestra

Name: *Booking Open!* Essex Swing Dance Special - Feat. Jay Craig and his Orchestra
Start: 2025-04-27T18:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-04-27T22:00:00+01:00
Location: Witham Public Hall

Schedule

Sun Apr 27 2025 at 06:30 pm to 10:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Witham Public Hall | Witham, EN

Booking now open! Register here: https://forms.gle/yweVgpBqgTmkhyKF6
Event Timing: Sunday 27th April
6:30pm - Doors Open & Taster Class
7:30pm - First live band set
8:30pm - DJ Set
9:00pm - Second live band set
10:00pm - DJ Set
10:30pm - Finish
Event Address: Witham Public Hall, Collingwood Road, Witham CM8 2DY
Essex is in for a real treat! Next April, we’re excited to welcome Jay Craig and his incredible 16-piece big band to Witham Public Hall! The venue boasts a fantastic dance floor and a spacious stage, perfect for an unforgettable night with the full big band experience. The hall is walking distance from Witham station with good transport links to London and surrounding areas aswell as a public car park opposite.
If you’ve seen them perform before, you already know the hype. For those who haven’t, take a look at the bio below to get a taste of what’s in store!
"Edinburgh-born baritone saxist Jay Craig’s infatuation with the instrument began at the tender age of fourteen when he was taken to hear Duke Ellington’s Orchestra and met the man who was to have such a profound influence on his playing - Harry Carney. Later, following a four- year stint in the National Youth jazz Orchestra combined with several years under the stern baton of veteran bandleader Tommy Sampson at the Glasgow Rangers Club, Jay won a scholarship to Boston’s famous Berklee College of Music. After two years he left to join the Buddy Rich Orchestra, touring America and Europe with the drummer solidly for the next three years.
Upon moving to London in 1987, Jay freelanced in the West End and on tour as a theatre musician, played in the band on the QE2 liner and a summer season at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo with the Johnny Howard Band before joining the BBC Big Band in 1992.
A founder member of the Echoes of Ellington, Back To Basie, John Wilson and Solid Senders orchestras he also juggled 10 years of touring with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra with his regular BBC work. His favourite musicians include Harry Carney, Artie Shaw, Sy Oliver, Johnny Hodges, Ronnie Cuber, Kenny Baker, Luis Arcaraz, Bruce Johnstone, Duke Ellington and Woody Herman.
Over the years Jay has worked with many of his favourite artists including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Cleo Laine, Robert Farnon, Shirley Bassey, Natalie Cole, Billy May, Bob Florence, Lennie Niehaus, Elmer Bernstein, Les Brown, Ray Anthony, Lalo Schiffrin, Bill Russo, Rob McConnell, Michael Feinstein, Al Martino, Sammy Nestico, John Dankworth, Frank Mantooth, Rosemary Clooney, Vic Damone, Bob Brookmeyer, Louie Bellson, Monty Alexander, Ray Charles, Gerald Wilson, Mel Tormé, Seth McFarlane, Michael Bublé, Jessye Norman, Bill Holman, Sammy Davis Jr., Stan Tracey and a host of other artists as well as The London Symphony Orchestra, The BBC Concert and Scottish Symphony Orchestras, The CBSO, The London Philharmonic Orchestra and The London Sinfonietta.
For the past few years Jay has been kept busy playing baritone sax and bassoon in several West End productions - most recently “42nd Street” and in 2015 he also performed at the Albert Hall with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga!"