All-day jive event will bring some sunshine

A JIVE and swing band is hoping to ‘bring a little sunshine’ back to Worthing when it performs as part of the Jive and Swing All-Dayer at Worthing’s Assembly Hall on March 1.
The Jive AcesThe Jive Aces
The Jive Aces

Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists The Jive Aces are returning to Worthing following the success of last year’s sell-out show.

The band will be joined by four specially-selected acts – The Swing Commanders, Jackson Sloan and the Rhythmtones, 16-year-old Cody “Boogie Boy” Lee and Detroit Gary Wiggins with the Paris Allstars. Vintage singer and ‘blonde bombshell’ Corinne Williams will also appear alongside the band.

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Ian Clarkson, lead singer of The Jive Aces, said: “It’s happy music, we just want to spread a little bit of sunshine and happiness, especially with the rain. We will change the weather for the day.” The all-day event, taking place between 1pm-1am, will include a variety of DJs playing vintage tunes and a selection of stalls selling records and vintage clothing.

After performing at the Assembly Hall as part of the London Taxi Benevolent Association’s annual charity event, the band decided to return for their own event.

“It’s a really nice venue. We did it last year and it was really successful. If it goes well we intend to do it every year,” said Ian.

The youngest act on the bill, Cody “Boogie Boy” Lee, has been described, by Ian, as ‘Jerry Lee Lewis reincarnate’.

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Last year, Cody filled in for Vince Hurley, the band’s pianist, at a couple of gigs, one in Belgium and the other at the Derry Jazz Festival, in Northern Ireland.

“Jools Holland got to see him play and he was very impressed. He’s so talented, he’s unbelievable,” said Ian.

The band is no stranger to performing with, and in front of, well-known musicians and famous names such as John Travolta, Status Quo, Van Morrison and the Queen.

Following their successful stint on Britain’s Got Talent, The Jive Aces were invited to play at an event in London’s Hyde Park to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

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“We played for the Queen – apparently she’s into swing and jive – and that was amazing. We hastily wrote a song call Diamond Jubilee Song. We were playing a few metres in front of the dignitaries when they were meeting the Queen,” said Ian.

In addition to performing for their fans, The Jive Aces also support a number of charities. Their hit cover of Morecambe and Wise’s ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ – which has received more than two million views on Youtube – was used by charity, Solar Aid, for its appropriately titled Bring Me Sunshine campaign. Solar Aid is working to provide people in Africa with access to clean, affordable solar lights rather than kerosene lamps.

The band released their original Bring Me Sunshine video around the same time they appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.

“For two weeks we felt like Peter Andre, we were amazed. Even when it calmed down we still had a lot more fans,” said Ian.

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The band has also been long-term supporters of the ‘Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life’ campaign – designed to educate people on the dangers of drug use.

The Jive Aces will be performing at festivals across Europe this summer, including the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, but before that, there is the small matter of the Jive and Swing All-Dayer in Worthing.

For ticket information, visit www.worthingtheatres.co.uk or call 01903 206206.