Swingtime Big Band

Dedicated to the performance of America's greatest popular standards, SWINGTIME BIG BAND is a 20-piece authentic swing band comprised of master interpreters of music from the Swing Era (mid-1930s through early 1950s) and beyond.  Hailed by The New York Times as “Musicians who make the sounds of the pre-rock era rock,” and by Newsday as “Long Island’s leading professional big band…dedicated to the Great American Songbook,” the ensemble specializes in performing Big

Band classics as originally recorded, bringing to life the style and the spirit of this uniquely American music for today’s audiences to experience in living color.  In recognition of the band’s efforts in “perpetuating, promoting & performing with integrity the sounds of the Big Band Era,” SWINGTIME was officially honored by the Big Band Hall of Fame in 2007 as “Ambassadors of Big Band Music.”

Now celebrating over 50 years since the band’s debut in 1972 (originally as the Stardusters Big Band, founded by Bob Rotunda, SWINGTIME thrills concert audiences and Ballroom dancers alike with authentic recreations of the timeless swing music of such iconic bandleaders as Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Les Brown, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Woody Herman, Charlie Barnet, and Stan Kenton, among many others.  This variety is vividly showcased on Swingtime’s best-selling CD’s—In Living Color, and Live…From New York.

Regularly engaged by Lincoln Center for its renowned Midsummer Night Swing festival, SWINGTIME was featured in five performances on that grand stage from 1999 through 2011.  For its 2007 Lincoln Center show, SWINGTIME had the distinction of being singled out as the only swing band featured in Time Out New York's select highlights of that season’s Midsummer Night Swing.  Just some of the many other prestigious venues at which band members have performed include: Carnegie Hall, David Geffen (Avery Fisher) Hall, Radio City Music Hall, New York State Theatre, the Plaza Hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, Town Hall, The Friar’s Club, Tavern on the Green and the Rainbow Room. 

With the sustained popularity of both swing music and ballroom dancing, this versatile ensemble has been enjoying remarkable success playing both the classic swing that is SWINGTIME's calling card and a wide variety of music to accommodate the many varied styles requested by ballroom dancers, including the Lindy, Fox Trot, Peabody, Cha-Cha, Tango, Merengue, Rhumba and Mambo.

Among the 20 consummate Big Band jazz musicians who make up SWINGTIME's traditional instrumentation of reeds, brass and rhythm are many accomplished soloists, including performers with Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jerry Vale, and the Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, and Buddy Rich Big Bands, as well as veterans of such popular regional groups as Ira Alexander's Swingtimers, Hal Hoffman Orchestra, Ben Grisafi Big Band, Al Miller Big Band, Danny Vincent Orchestra and Bob Rotunda's Stardusters Big Band.

SWINGTIME features a female vocalist--Bobbie Ruth--who recreates the “gal vocal” stylings of such legendary singers as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Eydie Gormé, Helen O’Connell, Keely Smith, Bette Midler, Rosemary Clooney, and Judy Garland, and the band’s male singer--Zack Alexander (winner of Hoboken’s 2016 Sinatra Idol contest!)--emulates such Big Band crooners and swingers as Nat “King” Cole, Bobby Darin, Steve Lawrence, Dean Martin and, of course, the immortal Frank Sinatra.

Leading the band is saxophonist and artistic director Steve Shaiman, a passionate advocate of Big Band swing for his entire musical life.  Audiences are enthralled by Steve’s animated leadership and the informative historical background he imparts about both the music and the original creative artists during the performance.  Together with his SWINGTIME colleagues, Steve is committed to keep this essential American music alive by performing as often as possible for audiences of all ages. 

In addition to bringing the joy of swing to thousands of summer concert-goers in the beautiful public parks and beaches across its native Long Island and at Music Festivals throughout the New York Tri-State area and Pennsylvania, the SWINGTIME BIG BAND stays busy spreading the gospel of swing music year-round, with public concerts, private events, and ballroom dance engagements.

Awards

Big Band Hall of Fame: Certified “Ambassadors of Big Band Music” (2007)

Gear

Full size big band (5 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, piano, guitar, bass and drums), plus male and female vocalist, along with bandleader/MC