The Williams Lake Cariboo Gold Dance Band and Quintet Plus choir are teaming up to bring the community a special evening of music May 25.
That Swing Thing will include two new songs written and directed by Cariboo Gold director Rocco Catalano.
“Every couple of years or so, the Cariboo Gold Dance Band and Quintet Plus join musical forces to present an evening of varied instrumental and vocal music,” Catalano says. “This year, at 7 p.m. on May 25 at St. Andrews United Church, we present That Swing Thing for your listening pleasure.”
He says several original choral arrangements have been written so that Quintet Plus can join the Cariboo Gold Dance Band in performance.
Among the songs, Catalano has also written an original song dedicated to Terry Fox, Steve Fonyo, and Rick Hansen, titled Terry, Steve, and Rick.
This song will be premiered by the two groups at the end of the concert, Catalano says.
Directed by Catalano, the Cariboo Gold Dance Band is a group of some 15 musicians and two vocalists who share a love for the swing music of the 1940’s and 50’s.
The band first came together in 1982 with about eight musicians.
Their repertoire includes a broad spectrum of musical genres including Swing, Dixie, Latin, Blues, Jazz, Broadway hits as well as some Western pieces.
The mixed voices Quintet Plus choir won the high point choir award at Cariboo Festival 2012 earlier this spring and their director Debbie Browning won the musical directorship award.
“We are a non-auditioned choir and welcome all voices, young and ‘young at heart’ alike,” member Jeannine Morgan says. “We sing everything from Bach to the Beatles and then some.”
That Swing Thing is a benefit concert for the United Church local outreach in the Williams Lake area and for the Cariboo Music Festival Society.
Admission is by donation.