John 'Jazzman' Clarke - vocals
Aime Hansen - dance and performance
Jake Doran - guitar and digeridoo
Dunstan Clarke(no relation) - djembe and percussion
Sounds Like
'BEAT COMBO WITH DANCE & U.S.WEST COAST FEEL/SOUND'
COMPARISONS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH 'THE LAST POETS'&
'CAPTAIN BEEFHEART'
'LIVE' ON STAGE 'SWING IT'PRODUCE A STUNNING &
STARTLING MUSICAL/PERFORMANCE CHEMICAL REACTION
(EMPLOYING A MIXTURE OF RAW & MELODIC GUITAR RIFFS
+HYPNOTIC WHIRLWIND DJEMBE BEATS & HAUNTING
DIDGERIDOO/PERCUSSION MARRIED TO SPECTACULAR/HUMOROUS DANCE
FROM THE ENCHANTING AIME HANSEN RESPONDING TO THE
DECLAMATORY/LYRICAL VOCALS OF 'JAZZMAN' JOHN CLARKE.
YOU ARE LEFT WITH AN EXPERIENCE THAT FEEDS BOTH THE
AUDITORY AND VISUAL SENSES ALMOST THE POINT OF
SATIETY OR
CESSATION.'
Swing it
is an acoustic-visual extravaganza that involves poetry, music and dance, all happening at the same time. Poetry, music and dance intertwine with each other, creating the unique world of Swing it.
The performance is based on John Clarke’s passionate jazz poetry. However Swing it is a project, where poetry, music and dance carry equal importance and where the outcome is more then just a sum of the components. Each piece in the program has a different mood, from jazzy swing to African rhythms to surrealistic ambient tunes. Swing it is a journey through different landscapes of artistic moods.
Swing it crosses the strict boundaries of the genres. It can be classified as a multi-media performance, experimental jazz, etc – depends from which angle to look. It’s like an amphibian that can walk, swim and fly. And this is also why Swing it fits in to a broad variety of events: poetry, music and cabaret evenings and theatrical showcases.
Swing it has developed as a collaboration, all aspects of the program are the original creation of band members. On the exotic side we use didgeridoo as one of the instruments and the dancer uses masks and other visual effects.
Swing-it in performance is up beat, energetic, entertaining and humorous.
If you would like to book Swing it for an event, please e-mail:
jcjazzman03@yahoo.co.uk
or
aimehansen777@yahoo.co.uk
---------------------------Swing it was created in spring 2005 and has been gigging regularly ever since. The band has been playing a variety of London venues. Swing it has also taken part at festivals, such as Hammersmith and Fulham festival, Spike festival, Jam at the Lock and festival at Nunhead. Swing it has appeared at local radio stations and a documentary about the group is in the process of being made.
Swing it members
John Clarke – jazz poetry
Jacob Doran – guitar, didgeridoo
Dunstan Clarke – bongo drums (not J.C’s relative!)
Aime Hansen – dance, visual effects
History:
The four members of 'SWING IT' were brought together
between 2004/2005 through a mutual passion for
London's
Alternative Music,Song,Spokenword & Poetry scene.
John & Aime met initially through performances at The
Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden at Tuesday's popular open
mic 'Poetry Unplugged' night & subsequently through
the
regular 'Radge Poets'event 'Walking The Dog'whivh also
incorporated 'live' music & performance.
John would go on to meet Dunstan via a mutual friend
(Poet/Performer & Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter,Eugene
Wolstenholme)who worked at 'WORDSWORTHS BOOKSHOP' in Butterfly walk in Camberwell(which sadly closed its doors
during 2006).
Around that time John had began to run his own
alternative performance/music/poetry event called 'HIP
HEAVEN'(monthly every last Thursday)in the atmospheric
cellar of the 'Bubblegum Club',46 Deptford Broadway,
SE8. It was there that Dunstan (on djembe-African Drum)
& John began to collaborate-with John vocalising his
rhythmic Jazz Poetry.
Meanwhile Jacob, one of Dunstan's friends had been
running a monthly event with another friend,Brett Gow-
lett,over in Whitechapel,called 'THE HUMAN ZOO' (check out their myspace below).
This was run in 'open mic'style and,like John's 'HIP
HEAVEN',attracted a wide variety of quality
performers.
With the added feature of a 'jam'to round off the
evening this proved very successful.Like 'HIP HEAVEN'
the event was to last for approximately two years-
the final 'HIP HEAVEN' was on 31 March 2006.
The forming of 'SWING IT'(MARCH 2005)was not a
completely conscious decision,as such,but grew
organicallythrough the collaborationsformed between
the four members at both 'HIP HEAVEN','THE HUMAN ZOO'
& elsewhere.Many Bands seem to adopt a similar formula
as a starting point it seems.
From a base of just a couple of full rehearsals
'SWING IT' devised a programme of pieces to perform
(and, in Aime's case, to interpret choreographically)
to audiences.
With all four members having previously established
a solid network of contacts this led to invitations to
the Band to perform at a variety of venues across the
Capital.
Swing it will be performing what is probably to be theri last ever gig on Mon 18th August at teh Rhythm Factory, come and see us so you can say you were there! Dunstan is off to seek fame and fortune in the Czech republic and although he'll probably be back who knows whether swing it will but hey nothing lasts forever its been about 2 years weve had loads of great gigs thnaks to all the lovely people who booked us some very memorable evenings and who knows what the future holds the site's gonna stay up and will be used by Jazzman John who is of course going on to bigger and better things all the time so you can keep in touch with it here, check out Jacob and Amie's myspaces for news of the many exciting, creative and absolutely bloody marvelous things they're doing you wouldn't wnat to miss out!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All artistic materials on the site:
C Swing it 2007-----------------------------
hey man, thanks for the add...wont be able to make it to your gig tonight, my health is in a questionable state...i might go to the poetry cafe this tuesday if i am better to check it out, never been...may see you then....go easy on the moody blues
Hi John...thank you for adding me and for taking time to leave a comment......ahh that where you get your talent.. both parents from Dublin...!!.....your music is really great i wish you every success....all the best...David
Jazzman jazzman what a talented JazzMattazz you are............ thank you and saxophonist for playing last thurs.. i am wishing i had a pair of cowboy BOOTS! PLUS.. his sax playing has spurred me to play my ole oboe a bit more often.. so you may see that next time i perform with bruno! love + BEATS xx
It's happening again... I Scream Sunday @ Barhouse Feb 8th Why wait till Valentine's Party. Spoken word Open Mic, the I Scream Sunday Poets, plus Dee Mardi on romance, washing lines and all that jazz. Barhouse, 16 Victoria Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1NZ
