What makes One Jump Ahead stand out from the other Swing and Jive bands around? Firstly, they've been playing for OVER 30 YEARS now and a band doesn't last that long unless they deliver! Audiences invariably want to DANCE when they hear the way these cats swing. Their huge repertoire includes the best of the "Great American Songbook", from 1940s & 50s jump/jive rhythm & blues to classic rock’n’roll songs, 1960s soul hits and Rat Pack material. A few carefully selected vintage pop classics, comic novelties and their own critically acclaimed compositions might get thrown into the gumbo too. They have wowed audiences from Islington to Israel, Clerkenwell to County Cork and from Docklands to Deutschland!
One Jump Ahead are led by KIT PACKHAM on VOCALS & SAXOPHONE, accompanied by PIANO, GUITAR, BASS, DRUMS, TRUMPET and another SAXOPHONE. Several of the band also contribute backing vocals - and an excellent female singer can be added to the line-up on request. If you don't have the space or the budget for a 7 or 8-piece band they can still play a highly entertaining set with a smaller line-up - right down to Kit alone with pre-recorded backing tracks! However, we would suggest that you hire the largest line-up that the premises and your budget allow, since this gives the most dynamic and flexible results. The minimum price of £1000 given above is for the normal 7-piece format. To calculate the minimum price for smaller units subtract £100 for each musician not required.
Lots more information is available including soundclips, testimonials, the members' biographies, a repertoire list, FAQs, public gigs and all dates currently booked. Kit will answer all enquiries from this site or the band's own website personally and is happy to offer free advice on all aspects of your booking too.
One Jump Ahead were just phenomenal at our wedding. We are quite an introverted bunch and they had everybody dancing - even grandparents! As musicians they were incredibly tight, playing universally appealing music and reading the dancefloor extremely well.
They were pros to the end, playing fantastically even when our venue, extremely embarrassingly, did not provide them with the hot meal we'd arranged for them.
We'd 100% recommend them for any event.
"Thank you to you and the band for doing such a great job at our wedding in July. You guys had such great energy, our guests loved dancing to you. Thanks for playing a good variety of songs too so that our non-swing dancing guests could show off their moves too!
We loved the first dance and really appreciate the band learning the song for us, we hope you will continue to play it in your future gigs.
Tom's grandparents also had a lovely dance to your rendition of Moonlight Serenade, thank you.
We'll be recommending you to our family and friends for future events!"
A big “thank you” to you and the band for making my birthday party a really special evening. I think without exception, everyone commented on how much they had enjoyed the band and how professional you all were. It was great to hear some of my favourite songs included in the set, thanks for letting me choose from your big repertoire of swinging tunes.
It was an absolute pleasure to have you perform for us and also to meet such a lovely bunch of people :) A huge number of people sought me out, specifically to let me know ‘how fantastic the band were’ and how much they were enjoying your work. I think this speaks for itself! It goes without saying that the music was superb, your energy was fantastic and you created a great atmosphere with your energy and style! I also thank you for your knowledge and advice at various points. You really went beyond what was stated on our contract and I am very grateful for that. I would book you again in a blink!
You were absolutely fantastic and caught the mood of the guests wonderfully. We all had such a great time and loved dancing the night away. The dance floor was virtually consistently full and age of dancers varied from 8-80. It was the best time I personally have had at a wedding for years. We would certainly book you again.
Thank you so much for making my son’s wedding the fabulous party that it turned into in the evening! That was all down to you guys making the whole place jump! Your music was exactly what we wanted for the Vintage style wedding and everyone, young and old have been talking about ‘the band’ since the event!
One Jump Ahead are a professional 7-piece band that will make any event go with a swing with evergreens from the Great American Songbook and more.
Playing for YOU with luck! We played at the London post-premiere party for Aardman Animations film "Chicken Run" and recorded a session for Paul Jones' Rhythm & Blues show on BBC Radio 2. Several stars of the London jazz scene are past members of the band including guitarists Nigel Price and Billy Jenkins, pianists Tim Richards (author of the best-selling "Improvising Blues Piano") and Hilary Cameron, and drummer Kenrick Rowe (world tours with PJ Harvey, The Specials, and others).
We are very experienced and versatile, both in musical terms and practical terms. We prefer to perform in our full 7-piece format but we can trim the band to meet smaller budgets, right down to a quartet or even less, although we'd recommend 4 as the minimum if you want people to dance. Our speciality is the swing/jive style of music loved by jive dancers and related styles but we have plenty of rock'n'roll and soul/Motown classics too. The bandleader is a skilled dancer and knows what's likely to get people on their feet. We also have lots of smooth jazz, crooner style material as well as humourous novelty numbers including some alternative versions of well-known standards.
Dances, festivals, all kinds of parties including wedding receptions, corporate events, anniversaries, etc. We can also play gentle background instrumental jazz, perhaps with just a few of the band, for drinks receptions, during dinner, etc.
Barbican Centre, Royal Festival Hall, Inner Temple, Waldorf Hotel, Royal Garden Hotel, Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Cafe Royal, Berkeley Castle, Eltham Palace, Goodwood House, Hassop Hall, 100 Club, Mean Fiddler, Langham Hilton, Hurlingham Club, Pinewood Film Studios, Carlton Club, Belvoir Castle, ICC Birmingham, Assembly Rooms Bath, Broadgate Club, Guinness Jazz Festival Cork, Great British Beer Festival, Commonwealth Club, University of Kent, Middlesex Polytechnic, Cruise Inn Amsterdam, Royal Beach Hotel Eilat, St Pierre Park Hotel Guernsey, Fulham Palace, Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, Wroxall Abbey, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Watermans Arts Centre, Royal Naval College Greenwich, Great Fosters, Middle Temple, Lansdowne Club and many many more!
BACS transfer preferred but cash or cheque accepted. PayPal might also be possible to arrange. Unfortunately no credit cards at this time.
Fully negotiable but "normal" bookings are for 2 x 60 minutes OR 3 x 45 minutes.
We have our own PA suitable for audiences of up to 250. Enhancement for larger audiences can be arranged. We also have our own lighting but not what you'd call a "light show". We believe that the MUSIC is what's important, not distracting spectacular lighting effects.
Yes we do. Copies forwarded on request.
Ideally a minimum of 3 metres depth by 6 metres width for the full 7-piece band but we have squeezed into less and can manage with less if the band plays as a smaller unit.
Almost certainly, but give us a few weeks to get it organised, please.
One less than however many sets we're playing! The number and length of our sets are fully negotiable but are typically 2 x 60 minutes or 3 x 45 minutes. We normally like a minimum of 15 minutes break between sets but tell us what you want and we'll try and oblige if it's not unreasonable.
We never play the same set twice - every set is tailored to your event on the guidance that you've given us. Our repertoire includes the best of the "Great American Songbook", 1940s & 50s jump/jive rhythm & blues to classic rock’n’roll songs, 1960s soul hits and Rat Pack material. A few carefully selected vintage pop classics, comic novelties and our own critically acclaimed compositions might get thrown into the gumbo too. Here are a couple of set lists but these are just EXAMPLES only for 2 different events:
HOTEL NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER/DANCE SET LIST
1st Set
All right, OK, You Win Ab
Moondance Fm
Lets Do It Bb
Fly Me to the Moon C
Blueberry Hill F
Take Good Care of My Baby G
Bad Bad Leroy Brown G/Ab
Willie & the Hand Jive A
Sway Dm
Under the Boardwalk F
Paper Moon G
My Baby Just Cares 4 Me A
Rehab Bb
I Live The Life I Love C
2nd Set
Is You Is or Is You Ain't Fm
My Girl Bb/C
The Wanderer D
Brown Eyed Girl G
Reet Petite C
No Particular Place to Go D
Rock Around the Clock G
Brown Sugar A
Spooky Dm/Ebm/Em
Stand By Me F
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie G
Can't Take My Eyes Off U C
Black Magic Woman Cm
I've Got U Under My Skin Eb
3rd Set
Mack the Knife C/Db/D/Eb
Shake, Rattle & Roll Eb
Rock'n'Roll Music F
Twistin' the Night Away G
Auld Lang Syne F
Knock On Wood C
New York New York D/Eb
You Never Can Tell Eb
Mustang Sally C
Sweet Little 16 D
Honky Tonk Women G
Hi Ho Silver Lining C
See You Later Alligator C
(My Way D)
JUMP, JIVE & BOOGIE WEEKENDER EVENT SET LIST (aimed at swing dancers)
Let the Good Times Roll F
One Foot in the Groove Bb (a band original)
Closer to the Bone C
Don't Clap on the 1st Beat of the Bar F (a band original)
Alley Club Blues Bb (a band original)
Take the A Train C
Mack the Knife C - Eb
Honeysuckle Rose F
Twistin' the Night Away G
Bitten by the Jitterbug Ab (a band original)
Willie & the Hand Jive A
You Never Can Tell Eb
My Babe F
Cleaning Up My Act Eb (a band original)
Don't Get Around C
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens C
Nutella the Hun Cm (a band original)
I've Got You Under My Skin Eb
Paper Moon G
Hallelujah I Love Her So G
I Dig Potatoes Ab (a band original)
Reet Petite C
It Ain't Broke F (a band original)
Straighten Up & Fly Right G
See You Later, Alligator C
My Way (Buy a CD) D
Shake Rattle & Roll Eb
We Had a Real Good Time G (a band original)
Possible Encores/Spares
I Wanna Be Like You Am
It Don't Mean a Thing Gm
Is There a Doctor in the House? C (a band original)
I Love the Life I Live C
Worksong Em