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King Eddies Revival Big Band
12/05/07 - The May Ball 2007

May 2007 saw the return of the event of the year.  The social elite came out to shine (especially Mr. Browning) and once again KESST and FOKES organised an outstanding evening for the band to play at.  The Levi Fox Hall was transformed from a dull sports hall to a glittering ballroom and more than 300 guests filled the venue with energy (the event was sold out by February!).  King Eddies Revival Big Band took to the stage at approximately 9.40 pm.
A great first set (details below) featuring all sorts of music got the audience onto the spacious dancefloor with little persuasion needed!  Robert "Bushy" Busiakiewicz was the first of the night's six (yes, six!!) vocalists and provided another stellar performance with his Sinatra-inspired vocals which the crowd loved.  Then after the 'curious' Hunting Wabbits (including a soprano sax), Ernest Amoako shone once again, performing two songs, including the Nina Simone number, Mr. Bojangles, with great style. The whole set had been full of accomplished solos and the set finished with the Glenn Miller classic, In The Mood.
The second set (details below) got going at about 11.15 pm and once again the brilliantly drunken audience were more than willing to get out of their seats.  This year saw the introduction of a trio of very accomplished female singers - Kate Mills, Fleur Moore-Bridger and Lucy Curtis.  They sang three pieces arranged by Mr. Mees in an outstanding three part harmony, which harked back to the 1930s, especially Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, where the combination of excellent vocals and classic stylish big band music was very successful.  And then James Dargan sang a selection of 'party' pieces, arranged by Mr. Mees, with great energy, which was really needed at the end of such a long night!  His style, very different to the night's other singers, was very appreciated by the audience.
After two encores the band were finished and the guests gave one last burst of applause.
Many thanks go to: the FOKES and KESST commitees for all their hard work in preparing the Ball and the decoration, the players from the rugby team who worked for free as excellent waiters, the caterers for all their lovely food, Toby Dixon and Claude for all their help with sound and lighting, the band - particularly Mr. Meehan - for providing the live entertainment and most importantly, the audience for all their support which made the night even better.

1st Set:
1) Manteca by Dizzy Gillespie, Walter Gil Fuller and Luciano Pozo Gonzales, solos from George "Mildred" Nava and Rob "Bushy" Busiakiewicz.
2) Zoot Suit Riot by Steve Perry, solos from Ed "The Magnificent" Evans and Bushy.
3) A Nasty Bit of the Blues by Doug Beach, solos from Kieran "Smelly Hippy" Ford, Tom English and The Magnificent Evans.
4) It Had to be You by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn with vocals from Bushy.
5) Satin Doll by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington with vocals from Bushy.
6) Let There Be Love by Ian Grant and Lionel Rand, solo from Mildred and vocals from Bushy.
7) Ain't That a Kick in the Head by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen with vocals from Bushy.
8) Hunting Wabbits by Gordon Goodwin, solos from Bushy and "The Maestro" Meehan.
9) Harlem Nocturne by Earle Hagen, solos from David "Twiggy" Twigg and Mildred.
10) Mr. Bojangles by Jerry Jeff Walker with vocals from Ernest Amoako.
11) Minnie, The Moocher by Cab Calloway and Irving Mills with vocals from Ernest.
12) Chatanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon, solos from Tom "Double" Sharp and Bushy.
13) St. Louis Blues by W.C. Handy.
14) In the Mood by Joe Garland, solos from Bushy, Twiggy and Double Sharpy.
 
2nd Set:
15) Hawaii Five-O by Mort Stevens, solo from The Magnificent Evans.
16) Pick Up The Pieces by The Average White Band, solos from Bushy and The Magnificent Evans.
17) Ya Gotta Try by Sammy Nestico, solos from Mr. Nava, Bushy and Tom English.
18) Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller and Mitchell Parish with clarinet solo from Twiggy.
19) Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, vocals from Kate Mills, Fleur Moore-Bridger and Lucy Curtis, solos from Double Sharpy and Kieran.
20) Autumn in New York by Vernon Duke, vocals from Kate, Fleur and Lucy and solo from the Smelly Hippy.
21) I Will Survive by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, vocals from The Girls.
22) Brazil by S.K. Russell and Ary Barroso, solo from Twiggy.
23) Jump, Jive and Wail by Louis Prima, solo from Bushy.
24) Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield, solo from Bushy and vocals from James "The Dragan" Dargan.
25) Bridge Over Troubled Water by Paul Simon with vocals from Dragan.
26) I'd Like to Introduce the Band by Mr. Meehan, with help from Kieran and solo fills from basically everyone!
27) That's Life by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon, vocals from Dragan.
 
Encores:
28) I Saw Her Standing There by Lennon and McCartney, solos from Ernest, Sharpy and a unique Bushy/Twiggy solo and vocals from Dragan.
29) New York, New York by Fred Ebb and John Kander with vocals from Bushy.