The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra with Michelle Nicolle

Formed around the turn of the century by double bassist Steve Purcell as a Count Basie–style dance band, The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra has evolved over more than 15 years into a unique Melbourne musical institution. The band boasts an enormous repertoire of original charts and deep connections across Melbourne’s musical universe.

The Pearly Shells blend their own arrangements of 1940s and 1950s big band music with jump blues, swing jazz, R&B, boogie woogie and Latin styles — all performed with the drive and enthusiasm this music demands and deserves.

The program includes music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Billie Holiday, Ella Johnson and Xavier Cugat, alongside original Pearly Shells material drawn from their seven studio albums.

The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra

(with occasional variations, depending on the night)

• David Allardice — piano
• Monty Price — guitar
• Steve Purcell — double bass
• Dean Hilson — tenor saxophone
• Rob Glaesemann — tenor saxophone
• Aaron Searle — baritone saxophone
• Paul Coyle — trumpet
• Wes Mowson — trombone
• Eamon McNelis — trumpet
• Gavin Gray — drums

Featuring special guest and vocalist Michelle Nicolle