we've been asked to run a few different versions of a well known song. It started off as one version and has now morphed into 7 different versions - but all the same song. funny thing is, that you hear one version and think, oh, that's great and then you play another and think........ oh that's great and then another and so on. Must be so difficult for the requestor to finally make the choice that they take forward. I almost feel that each arrangement is a form of 'life' in n

It always amazes me with the dynamics of folks within a band, especially with respect to set up and pack away. there are essentially three categories 1. Those that get there early and help set up as much as possible as well as their own kit. They are always there at the end and help take other bulky kit out as well e.g. drums, lighting etc 2 Those that put in effort to help and do bits and pieces at the beginning and help at the end to varying degrees - sometimes seamingly ma

Blimey, it can be soul destroying at times - you get new arrangements and hope they'll sound great and of course some do, but the issue is in many case when you try to shoehorn a big band arrangement into a little big band set up and you run the risk of 'gaps' and exposed bits leaving a feeling of 'oh whats happened there' which is easily picked up by other musicians and of course the audience who, in many instances might not necessarily know the reasons for the gap, but do o

What a cracker - we played a Great Gatsby night last night and it was a belter - always amazes me when the 'caged beasts' suddenly unleash themselves upon the dance floor - they come out like cows who have seen grass for the first time (no offence intended of course) and just go mental - it makes our job so easy to just get into full power mode and you just know it will go off the richter scale and last night was no exception:-)

I remember back in the late 90's I was working with a company that saw me across to the U.S on many occasions and I saw an advert for two bands at different times one called Swing Nouveau (saw them in Milwaukee) and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (saw them in California). Swing Nouveau were superb and give me loads of great ideas and buzzes about the big band scene - however, when i saw Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, my jaw nearly hit the floor - I was impressed beyond all belief. I thought the

Blimey, takes a heck of a time running all the lights, PA system, Mixing desk etc etc through the PAT testing but obviously needed and so tonight we head across to Hosiery Mills to give Paddy's (our sax player) mum and her friends a little taste of Great Gatsby - will be a monster night and we'll even teach them the Charleston stroll (more of a line dance from the 90's but seems to have been universally adopted by the 40's and swing scene (much to the annoyance of many of th

Here is the montage of Kal's Kats checkin' in with a few numbers - take a look https://youtu.be/fN0BkpOIszI

Looking forward to tomorrow night when we Kal's Kats plays a fab Great Gatsby party for our very own Sax player - Paddy Shaw. His Ma and her pal are sharing a birthday party and Laura Brookes and Kal's Kats will be tearing the roof off in our ignitable vintage swing band style at the Hosiery Mills in Sutton in Ashfield, Notts. This one is fully booked and so should be a monster night and especially since Paddy is playing a great rendition of 'Stranger on the Shore' for his mu

Kal's Kats had a great rehearsal Wednesday just gone - we had our very own 'pro' photographers Marie and Syl recording Kal's Kats playing a number of tunes from the vintage swing era - it was a pleasure to play those numbers and to edit the footage into a nice little show reel which has now been published on Youtube and our website - called Kal's Kats - checkin' in.