Music

Boilermaker Jazz Band (PA)

By popular demand... they're back!

The Boilermaker Jazz Band is an ecstatically fun band performing authentic American hot Jazz and Swing. The group has a wide repertoire that can make an audience Swing to a classic Jazz standard, get sentimental over an old-time ballad, Boogie to a hot Jump tune, or get low-down with a gritty Blues. From concert halls to dances, festivals to family parties, listeners and dancers agree - with their infectious beat and enthusiasm this band can make any crowd move! We are excited to have them featured at the Beantown Saturday Dance Party! www.BoilermakerJazzBand.com

Shawn Hershey and the Fried Bananas (MA)

The Fried Bananas were created with the goal of providing music for Swing dancers and play a mix of Blues, Swing and Gypsy Jazz. This Boston based band is a local favorite and has played most of the Boston Swing venues as well as dances in Connecticut and Montreal. Created by Shawn Hershey, most of the members of the band are also Swing dancers who want to make great music for dancing. www.TheFriedBananas.com

The Racky Thomas Band (MA)

The Racky Thomas Band hails from Boston but plays the Blues as though they came right out of post-war Chicago or the Mississippi delta. The band has received widespread critical praise in local, national, and international Blues publications, as well as worldwide radio airplay of their two most recent self-produced CDs, Last Of The Big Spenders and Troubled All the Time. The band formed in 1995 and has been performing throughout the northeast to enthusiastic audiences, steadily gaining a devoted following ever since. The band got a great boost in 1997 by winning Boston's prestigious Battle of the Blues Bands. That earned them a trip to Memphis, TN to compete in the International Blues Competition where they made a strong showing and gained broader exposure. These guys have a great sound and energy which is sure to keep you on the dance floor! www.TheRackyThomasBand.com

Gordon Webster & Friends (NY)

Pianist Gordon Webster is one of the most sought after musicians in the Lindy Hop world and we are excited for his first Beantown appearance. His tremendous musicianship and passion, supported by his first-hand knowledge of social dancing, have inspired Lindy Hoppers at hundreds of dance events worldwide. Drawing on influences as diverse as Fats Waller, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, he serves up a smorgasbord of styles unified by one characteristic: irresistible danceability. Inspired by all the great bands at the Frankie 95 Festival, Gordon is cooking up something new for Beantown. Be ready to dance your socks off and shout for more at the Beantown Wednesday Dance Party! www.GordonWebster.com