Andy Abraham’s The History Of The Big Bands, Grand Opera House, York, March 28 (From York Press)

Andy Abraham’s The History Of The Big Bands, Grand Opera House, York, March 28

10:50am Friday 23rd March 2012 in Music news and reviews

ANDY Abraham, late of The X Factor and the Eurovision Song Contest, is branching out into crooning with a big band on a 26-date tour that arrives in York on Wednesday.

Swing will be the thing at the Grand Opera House at 7.30pm when Andy and a 13-piece band will perform music by Harry James, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Woody Herman and Buddy Rich.

In Andy Abraham’s History Of The Big Bands, the soulful singer will guide the audience on a journey that recalls the music of the jazz clubs and concert halls of New York, New Orleans and Chicago, where the Dixieland and hot jazz of the 1920s turned into the Big Band sound.

“I was asked by the musical director, Brian Hill, through my agent, if I would be interested in doing the show, and the chance to work with a 13-piece live band was incredible,” says Andy. “That’s why they call them big bands!

“Fantastic band leaders like Count Basie and Glenn Miller were the cream and I just wanted to get nostalgic. I love brass and that’s a big part of soul music, too.”

Preparing for the show has taken “a lot of work”.

“I got asked just before Christmas, and I had to source the songs, making sure I got the right blend,” says Andy. “I’ve got a script too as I’ll be doing a little bit of narrating to bring people up to speed with the history of the music.”

Andy was already familiar with such standards as Mack The Knife and Cry Me A River, and his full initiation into swing music has taught him to appreciate the vocal skill needed for this music.

“The one thing I’ve learned in relation to swing and big band songs is the lived-in voice, like Sinatra’s, is a man’s man’s voice,” he says. “You can hear they’ve been through the mill and come out the other side and hopefully my voice will bring that to life.”

Will he record a swing album? “Do you know what? Later I’d love to do thatm but I want to establish myself with some more original material before then.”

• Tickets for Wednesday can be booked on 0844 871 3024 or online at atgtickets.com/york. The show also visits Harrogate Theatre on May 17; 01423 502116.