Blending ’20s and ’30s small band jazz and jug and washboard band music with “brother duet” harmonies and with a musical personality all of their own – playing a repertoire of rare gems from the swing era, jug band stand-outs and classics from American roots music of the first half of the 20th century – The Swing Busters are a highly entertaining combo with years of experience in delighting audiences from public bars to garden parties, fancy soirees and beyond.

As their name suggests, they often break out into other styles and you may hear echoes of Spike Jones, the hot dance bands of the 20s, Louis Jordan or even Al Bowlly [the British Bing Crosby].

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Tony Engle had a career as a record producer and label owner but always played music on the side and eventually turned back to his childhood love of jazz and swing music – taking up a variety of saxophones as well as being a unique and impressive vocalist.

 Via a chance meeting Tony began playing with Steve Benaim, and a new landscape began to emerge, initially in a sextet aptly named The Lazy Rhythm Boys and more recently adding a duo, The SWING BUSTERS, to his personal portfolio of dynamic live attractions.

 Anyone fortunate enough to be present during one of Tony’s live performances will be warmly welcomed into a musical world that offers wit, dynamism and a real passion for the songs, melodies and the vitality of some rare and beautiful music. It is largely, but not solely, drawn from the first half of the last century and all of which can be described as music of the people. Inspirations include Wingy Manone, Bud Freeman, Nat Gonella, Ukulele Ike, Al Bowlly, The Mills Bros and many more. It is a rewarding and thoroughly entertaining experience.

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Steve Benaim, a young teenager in his bedroom, heard the music of Louis Jordan & the Tympany Five being featured on Humphrey Lyttleton’s Radio 2 programme one Monday evening, and had his life changed forever. Witty lyrics, a swinging band, and sparkling delivery ignited a fire that burns to this day. However, in the era of Punk rock and the Two-Tone revolution, Louis Jordan was an anomaly, and gradually for a time, the music of his peers took precedence. As an electric bass player, Steve played in several unknown bands through the 80’s and 90’s supporting original songs written by others.

 Several years later after his initial meeting with Tony Engle, Steve decided it was time to hang up his Fender Precision for good and concentrate on developing his own individual brand of swing rhythm to provide guitar back-up for Tony’s expanding repertoire of classic pre-war tunes. He has also developed as a singer with a strong feeling for the material he chooses; with a warm sound and a demonstrable affection for the songs in their repertoire.

 

With their two voices together, they create something that is more than the sum of both parts!

Together, the two ‘brothers in Swing’, have spent the last couple of years successfully developing their own style as The SWING BUSTERS, a duo, and now latterly as a trio with Martin Appleby on string bass who has brought the band’s performance to a whole new level.

 

Their music is guaranteed to get the heart racing, the toes tapping, and make any evening go with a swing!

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