Kings Of Swing
Not only does Ian perform the UK’s leading Frank Sinatra tribute experience but he also performs a salute to the other great Kings Of Swing from Mr Sinatra’s period. Sit back, pour yourself a cool Martini and enjoy an evening featuring some of the finest songs from the last century as sung by these great entertainers with Ian’s eclectic Kings of Swing show!
Frank Sinatra
Ol’ blue eyes was the leader of the rat pack and one of the most influential and important singers and performers of the 20th Century with an incredible career that stretched over 7 decades.
His presence looms over popular music like a colossus. Michael Buble has many times acknowledged his debt to Sinatra’s genius and has said many times that his own style of singing is closely aligned with Mr. Sinatra’s technique. Ian is one of the foremost Sinatra singers in the country, he is also an expert on Sinatra’s life and times, so much so, that he appeared recently in the Channel 5 documentary about his life
“His way” “King of the crooners”.
Most of Sinatra’s catalogue can be covered.
“New York, New York”
“My Way”
“That’s life”
…and any of Buble’s covers of Mr. Sinatra’s work can be included.
Dean Martin
When it comes to the Rat Pack, Dean was the laid-back crooning joker in the pack. Ian can include many of his most famous songs. “That’s Amore” is always a show favorite. Dean was an underrated and multi-talented enigma and Ian is always pleased when audiences request some of his songs. Songs Ian can include in his sets are:
“All I do is dream of you”
“Everybody loves somebody sometimes”
“Sway”
“Return to me”
“Send me the pillow that you dream on”
…and any of Buble’s covers of Deano’s work can be included.
Sammy Davis Jnr
Sammy was the great American entertainer and the most multi-talented of the Pack. He was a singer, dancer, impressionist, comedian and actor and played a number of musical instruments. Experience that smooth mellow sound as Ian sings hits like “Mr. Bojangles” and “The Candy Man”.
“The birth of the blues”
“All of me”
“I’ve got you under my skin”
…and many of Sammy’s other great songs that you may like to hear.
Matt Monro
Matt was undoubtedly Britain’s greatest popular singer, greatly underrated during his lifetime, but now considered by many musical historians to be one of the finest voices of the 20th century. Ian has been a lifelong fan of Matt’s work and was fortunate enough to see him perform live many times and was present at his final great performance. So revered is Ian’s interpretations of Matt’s work that Ian has sung for Sir Don Black, who was Matt’s composer, Manager, Best Friend and received an academy award for Born Free. In Don’s words “I haven’t heard Matt’s songs sung so well since he passed”.
Ian has sung in some of the top venues in the UK and for some of the biggest names in show business, for example, he sang at Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wedding.
You will hear all of Matt’s hits, sung to perfection, unforgettable love songs, like:
‘Born Free’
‘Walk Away’
On days like these “Theme from the Italian Job”
‘If I never sing another song’
Michael Buble
One of the new Kings Of Swing – a man who acknowledges the influence of all the grand masters of popular music. Ian can include many of Buble’s hits including:
‘Feeling Good’
‘Cry me a river’
‘Haven’t met you yet’
‘Crazy little thing called love’
as well as some of the songs Michael has penned himself like the smash hits ‘Home’ and ‘Everything’.
Nat King Cole
Nat ‘King ‘Cole has an unforgettable sound and is renowned for his incredible ballads. Close your eyes and let Ian remind you why Nat King Cole is remembered as one of the finest singers of the era with hits like:
‘Mona Lisa’
‘Unforgettable’
‘ The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)’
‘Ramblin’ Rose’
Andy Williams
Ian is famous for emulating the smooth liquid tones of Andy Williams with classic hits like ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’, ‘Music To Watch Girls By’ and ‘Where Do I Begin’
Tony Bennett
This American singer of popular music, standards and jazz has proved what a truly talented entertainer he is. With an outstanding career spanning five decades, his comeback in the 90’s expanded his audience to a younger generation while keeping his music style intact. Hear Ian sing some of Tony’s many hits including:
‘The Shadow of your smile’
‘Who can I turn to’
‘A Taste of Honey’
Pop & Dance Music
Pop and dance songs can be added to get your party “rocking”. Ian can glide into Motown and party songs to give your event an added lift with an “eclectic” mix of Dance material, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and modern pop music can be sung as Ian reads the crowd and will get your friends ‘dancing the night away’.
Ian & The Pack
Ian and his co stars during the Ratpack Live from Las Vegas tour
The whole evening is more than just a fantastic musical treat. Imagine a room filled with the memorabilia from the classic days of the swing era. The whole room will come alive with genuine signed photographs of the rat pack. Ian is the proud owner of some of the most sought after memorabilia in the world. This includes gold discs, a telegram from Grace Kelly when he received his Oscar, even Ian’s hat has been copied from Sinatra’s own milliner. The suit Ian wears on stage is an exact replica of Mr Sinatra’s trademark black tuxedo.
My Kind of Town
Ian possesses one of Mr Sinatra’s gold discs Sammy Cahn’s My Kind of Town from his hit 1964 film Robin and the Seven hoods. Chicago will never be the same!
CORE VALUES
I believe that allowing yourself the luxury of knowing it is going to be right, is a luxury everyone should be able to afford. A singer always owes the audience everything he can give and more. Give openly of your talent and your heart, what is in a singer’s heart must be in every note or he has failed. No matter how technically correct he is singing. A singer’s greatest satisfaction should be to know that his work has enriched the lives of those he has been privileged to sing to. A singer is first an interpreter of stories, when I sing it is like sitting down and telling a story. Respect the audience, they are always the most important judge of your work, always thank them for letting you sing for them.
Bring a point of view, but be flexible. Be truthful when you sing and when you speak. Mean what you say and always do what you say you will. An audience can sense sincerity, be worthy of your goals, your heroes and mentors. Be courageous in your musical choices, surprise the audience and never settle for less. Never break your word, it is your most precious asset. Find a path you love and the work becomes your passion. I will do everything I can to make your event the best I can, and this is my promise to you.
Quality can always be improved; preparation is quality’s best friend. Always buy the best musical equipment, the best is always the cheapest. There is no shortcut to quality.
Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle. Devote yourself to the perfection of what you do. Think before you speak, before you sing and before you walk on stage. Never be complacent or content. Be better.
There is something sacred about music, be generous in your musical choices. Every time you walk on stage you have the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently. Be articulate, flexible and expressive. Be passionate, don’t take yourself too seriously, music is the shorthand of emotion. Be truthful when you sing and when you speak. Try to be nice to everyone. Be grateful, be kind, be sincere.
Be brave, be positive, never negative. Represent your values and encapsulate them. Know one becomes a singer because of the money, be dedicated, don’t give up, you have to respect yourself, only then can you learn to respect others. Always pay attention and always find the joy. Your profession is not what brings home your pay cheque, it’s what you were put on earth to do, so do it with such passion and integrity that it becomes spiritual in its calling.
Be 100% present, always. Remember that your profession is not what you do, it is who you are. When you sing, earn the privilege of your audience’s time. You are what you do so do it with enthusiasm. If you don’t take risks, you risk even more. Be early, be ready and say thank you. Remember opportunity is missed by many people because it is often dressed in overalls and looks like hard work. A professional always finds his truth in the work. You already buy yourself energy and creativity if you come prepared and are early
TRUST
QUALITY
HIGH STANDARDS
INTEGRITY
