The Jive Aces shine at Summertime Swing in East Grinstead

Britain's Got Talent stars and the nation's number one jive and swing band, The Jive Aces, held their 14th annual Summertime Swing charity festival at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, on Sunday, August 5.
Summertime Swing 2018Summertime Swing 2018
Summertime Swing 2018

The event gets bigger every year and 2018 was no exception with 1,800 people in attendance.

The Jive Aces, based in East Grinstead when they’re not touring the world, have gone from strength to strength with over five million YouTube music video views. They have achieved huge success over the years, selling out the Royal Albert Hall, performing for the Queen and working with the likes of Hollywood stars John Travolta and Van Morrison.

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The band – lead singer Ian Clarkson, double bass player Ken Smith, saxophonist John Fordham, trombonist Alex Douglas, pianist Vince Hurley and drummer Peter Howell – first met as teenagers in East London. The six-piece, who are all Scientologists, love to make feel-good music. In fact their song Bring Me Sunshine was prescribed by a doctor in Seattle to cheer up patients with depression. The video of the song received nearly three million hits on YouTube.

Summertime Swing 2018Summertime Swing 2018
Summertime Swing 2018

The band now have a brand new charity single out entitled ‘Music Music Music’, which features former Top of the Pops presenter Mike Read and has been produced by one of the most successful producer-songwriters in British chart history – Mike Stock of Stock, Aitken and Waterman fame. Proceeds raised for purchasing the single will be donated to Parkinson’s UK – the research and support charity that aims are to improve the quality of life for people affected by Parkinson’s and to find a cure.

This year’s Summertime Swing had yet another great line-up. Gina Haley, daughter of legend Bill Haley, flew in from the USA to perform, and Canada’s Sweetheart of Swing, Alex Pangman, also jetted in. Heading the line-up was West End musical star of Beautiful and Chess, Cassidy Janson.

Summertime Swing 2018 was a huge success. Over £20,000 was raised and the proceeds will be donated to local charities, including the Not Forgotten Association and other East Grinstead organisations to be chosen by the Mayor of East Grinstead, who was also in attendance.

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On the day, there were more than 30 classic cars on display, vintage clothes stalls, food stalls and a huge dance-floor.

Gina HaleyGina Haley
Gina Haley

Ian Clarkson of The Jive Aces said: “We are so pleased with this year’s turn out. There were people everywhere in the beautiful grounds of St Hill Manor. We even had people on the banks and hillside in the shade watching the show. The performers were all exceptional and the feedback we got was just overwhelming. I can’t thank enough the volunteers of Saint Hill who helped us make this the best event of the year. And to top it off, the weather was just wonderful. Helping our local charities is so important and we want to lead by example.”

Next year’s Summertime Swing has already been confirmed for 2pm on Sunday, August 4, 2019.

Click here to find out more about the annual Summertime Swing event.

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