Founded by Daniel Benisty, the band has gradually expanded over the last 12 years from solo to trio to 12 piece Show-band. The first spark towards becoming a fully fledged cross genre function band blending electric and eclectic entertainment was the addition of multi-skilled guitarist / singer / entertainer / improviser / rapper, Matt King Smith – who is now the most active bandleader of the band. After the addition of Matt, the band gradually started inviting a variety of brass players and guest singers to compliment the sound.
Many of the band’s musicians also sing (Daniel – Keys, Matt – Guitar, Harrison – Trumpet, James – Guitar, George – Trombone) and to compliment the vocals, the band often invites guest singers that the musicians have met at the countless stages they have shared up and down the country. To their credit, the The London Swing and Soul Band musicians and singers have played at a huge variety of stages, festivals and venues all around the country – including Bestival, Glastonbury, Hippodrome Leicester Square, Ronnie Scott’s, Vortex, 606 and Pizza Express Soho. The Band are currently preferred supplier for weddings and special events at Heythrop Park, Westfield, The Ivy Collection and The RAC Club.
The London Swing and Soul Band prides itself on being perhaps the country’s most flexible, eclectic and varied function bands available. With the choice of a variety of singers and instruments and music in a dozen styles (swing, soul, jazz, reggae, latin, pop, rock, blues, RnB, motown, disco, funk), the London Swing and Soul Band is the perfect choice to wow your guests with variety and rhythm change all night long.
An Ideal Choice for a Wedding Band, The London Swing and Soul Band provides an end-to-end service from the use of microphones for speeches to background music, to special requests, ceremony music if required, to first dance, to dinner jazz to the most upbeat hard-hitting dance music, as well as lights, DJ and Disco to keep things going to past midnight.
Influences and Favourites include: James Brown, Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Adele, Al Green, Amy Winehouse, Billie Holiday, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Buckley, Sam Cooke, Edith Piaf, Radiohead, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Isaac Hayes, Percy Sledge, Muse, Smiths, A-Ha, Puccini, Neil Diamond, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones, James Brown, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles, Dr John, Oscar Peterson, Yaakov Shwekey, MBD, Duke Ellington, Nirvana, Aretha Franklin, Jacques Brel, Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Yasmin Levy, Smashing Pumpkins, Buena Vista Social Club, Ofra Haza, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin and last but not least The Doors and Jimi Hendrix.
