Thank you for your interest!
 Do you have a CD available?
Answer: The band has a CD out that was recorded live in October of 2005 at Oglebayfest in Oglebay Park, Wheeling WV. It runs 56 minutes. The CD is currently sold out BUT we will be re-releasing it along with a few other BuddyO goodies soon! We will make an announcement on our main page as soon as things are finalized. |
|
Is the band available for bookings and what could we expect?
Answer: We can furnish 14 musicians, plus a vocalist, plus a leader out front. Also one or two of the musicians will sing a tune or two, and the band might do a chorus or two. Why the singing? Nothing but instrumentals for three hours can get rather hum drum. One might say, too much of a good thing. We mix the vocals in; we don't get on vocals and stay there. It is a mixture that you will find refreshing and entertaining.
Is the guy out out front waving a stick necessary?
Answer: Yes. When you have this many musicians in a group, it is necessary that the band be "fronted". This gives them a common center upon which to focus peripherally with their eyes. They don't have to strain and be distracted trying to keep the music "tight" by attempting to pick up the rhythm section. It also keeps the rhythm section tight because they have the same opportunity to work through the "front". Everything goes smoother, musical communication is better, and the band sounds more like one person is playing all the instruments. When you have a smaller combo, a "front" is not necessary because everyone can easily and clearly hear everyone else musically.
How far do you travel to perform?
Answer: From September until the end of May we restrict our performances to weekend travel. That is to say we will travel to Friday evening performances, provided they are within driving distance for everyone...about a three hour drive. During the summer when those of our members who teach have a more flexible schedule, we are free to travel greater distances as we do not have obligations during the week that involve daily work responsibilities.
Can the size of the band be reduced to fit my pocket book?
Answer: Yes. We can take away a trombone, we can take away the vocalist, we can take away the front and put him in the sax section, we can take away a trumpet, we can take away a sax, we can take away another trombone, but now we are done. We are now down to ten players. We started with sixteen, and one by one we reduced the band down to ten. We can play with ten, and we have had compliments when we played with just ten, but rest assured it just isn't the same as sixteen.
One more thing we can do, if the customer wants to go that far. However, we don't use the same name, because the change is so radical and the sound so much changed that we do not want to use the same name; be that as it may. We can do this, if it is desired: We can, under the name :Cindy Moss & the Dukes of Swing" have Cindy and seven players. That would be three rhythm (piano, bass, & drums) along with one each, tenor sax, alto sax, trumpet, and trombone. That amounts to a seven piece combo and a vocalist. How would it sound it would sound great for a seven piece combo and a vocalist! Could we leave the vocalist out and just have the Dukes? Yes, we could do that also, but we think you should include Cindy, but you are the customer, and therefore the boss!
Are there any special programs you can put on?
Answer: Yes - Our regular program features a variety of music including some better rock and roll, all the latin rhythms, all the big band sounds of the thirties and forties, as well as sounds of the fifties, some of the better music of the sixties and seventies, and some great music written in the nineties. We welcome input from the customer as to exactly what they want. Some of our customers tell us exactly how many fox trots they want, how many waltzes, how many polkas, how many Cha Chas, and so on. Some wedding parties take our chart book and list exactly the tunes they want played during the evening.
So, we can tailor make the evening for you, if that's what you desire.
What kind of musical variety can you provide?
Answer: The music containers we regularly carry on the job contain over 500 charts, so that gives us a good variety of music, and we can usually cover requests, but not always.
We also have other music containers which contain nothing but Glenn Miller music. We can play nothing but Glenn Miller arrangements for three hours, if that is desired. We have put on two Miller evenings during the past eight years. Both were well attended events.
We can also put on an evening of nothing but Hit Parade Songs from the Forties for three hours. We have also done that on a couple of occasions.
If we were to hire you, what kind of appearance could we expect?
Answer: This band always appears in black tux, black socks, and black shoes. We wear regular dress shirts so that we have shirts that are uniform in appearance and not ones with a variety of ruffles. The stands are white with a big script D on the front. We do not use any electronics if the hall is small. Only a mike for announcements and turn it off while playing. If the hall is large we will use a little electronics. It is not our intention to blow the windows out or hurt your ears. The vocalist, of course, does use a mike and a small amp and small speaker to augment her voice, but not to overpower you. We are sensitive to too loud.
It is our intention to enjoy the evening as much as you do. It is our intention to be professional in our appearance, and our conduct. Drinking, nor smoking is permitted in our band. We are on time, and our breaks are not extended, they are as announced. We are your employees, and conduct ourselves accordingly.
If you have further questions, please feel free to drop us a note personally and we will do our best to answer your questions!