Tags
1920s, 1930s, banjo, Bill Beecroft, Bill Bridges, Bruce Philp, Cheek to Cheek, clarinet, drums, guitar, Happy Feet, Jane Woods, jazz, Jen Stephen, John MacMurchy, Jordan Klapman, piano, prohibition, Sandy Barter, saxophone, Tanya Wills, Ted Atherton, trombone, trumpet, tuba, Valerie Sylvester, violin, vocal, vocals, Weimar, Wintergarten, Wintergarten Orchestra
On Monday, September 28, 2015, I attended a performance by the Wintergarten Orchestra at the Monarch Tavern. (click on any photo to see a larger version)
The orchestra’s music style is a tribute to the music of the Weimar Republic and Prohibition era from the 1920s and 1930s. The bandleader is Bill Beecroft, who plays the trombone.
bandleader Bill Beecroft, trombone
Wintergarten is an unusual ensemble that puts the sounds of violins, piano, drums, guitar, banjo, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone together. Along with these instruments, the band has two vocalists: Ted Atherton and Tanya Wills.
Ted Atherton acts as the frontman for the group and introduces each song. Some songs are just instrumental pieces and others have Ted and/or Tanya singing along with the band.
Ted Atherton, vocals
The cast of the ensemble changes from time to time, but here are the band members from the performance that I attended:
Tanya Wills, vocals
Valerie Sylvester, violin
Jane Woods, violin
Jordan Klapman, piano
Jen Stephen, tuba
Bruce Philp, drums
Bill Bridges, guitar/banjo
John MacMurchy, clarinet/saxophone
Sandy Barter, trumpet
bandleader Bill Beecroft, trombone
Watch my video of Ted Atherton singing “Cheek To Cheek.”
The band played many old songs like “What Is This Thing Called Love,” “Happy Feet,” “Cheek To Cheek,” and “Alabama Stomp” to name but a few.
The Wintergarten Orchestra has published a CD containing 12 wonderful songs. You can purchase a copy at any performance of the orchestra. Check their Facebook page for details on their upcoming performances.
Here are more images from that very entertaining evening.
And a special thank you to Jordan Klapman who let me know about this orchestra and their performance details.
