The Swingle Singers

There are few music lovers in this world who haven’t heard the name the Swingle Singers. Since the release of their ground-breaking debut album Jazz Sébastien Bach in 1963, this eight-voice a cappella group has performed in every continent and on the world’s most famous stages, sustaining over four decades a level of international popularity beyond the dreams of its founder, American-born Ward Swingle. The current line-up of young, gorgeous and talented singers is, of course, several incarnations of “swingles” older than the original team – Ward Swingle affectionately refers to them as his “grandchildren” – so, although their program will usually include some tribute to the original French group with traditional swung Bach, audiences will also be treated to more modern compositions and arrangements, enhanced by dazzling choreography and lighting. The beauty is that, whatever the repertoire, the sound remains unmistakeably the Swingle Singers. What defines this unique group is not the personnel, nor even the choice of music, but the intimate, close-microphone, quasi-instrumental sound with which they stunned the world all those years ago.

The Swingle Singers’ name has become synonymous with incredible vocal virtuosity, blend and agility, flawless excellence and high-level entertainment. In the world of a cappella music, this group has always been and still is revered by all who followed its lead. It is hard to comprehend that it all began as an exercise in sight-reading, to alleviate the monotony of sixties backing vocals. Eight Paris-based jazz session singers sang through some Bach keyboard music one day and discovered a natural swing to the music. Without changing a note of the original score, they used jazz scat and phrasing, added a rhythm section and persuaded Philips record company to record it for them as Christmas presents for family and friends. Little did they know the level of fame to which this record would elevate them; they reached number one in the charts and won several Grammy awards.

Ward Swingle, who as well as founding the group wrote all of the original arrangements, has spent the rest of his life convincing interviewers and fans alike that his surname is real, not invented! The group’s name has been something of a talking-point over the years and some confusion arose as a result of the various ways in which the name Swingle was incorporated but suffice to say that Les Swingle Singers in the ‘60s, Swingle II in the ‘70s, The New Swingle Singers in the ‘80s and the Swingle Singers in the ‘90s are all part of the same history. Each incarnation has extended the repertoire far and beyond the swung Baroque of the 1960s. Once the group had moved to England (where they have remained based ever since) there came more repertoire with words, as opposed to the infamous “doo-bee-doo” of the French group. Nowadays the Swingle Singers offer a huge variety of shows, from the traditional “Bach to Beatles” in concert halls and churches to jazz nights at Ronnie Scotts and Wavendon Stables, from orchestral concerts at the Lincoln Center, New York, to contemporary opera at Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Chatelet Theatre in Paris and, of course, their famous Christmas extravaganza, culminating every December at Orchard Hall in Tokyo.

It comes as no surprise that musicians and other artists have clamoured to work with this unique ensemble. The late Luciano Berio was one of the first composers who recognized in the sound an opportunity to explore the combination of amplified voices and acoustic instruments. His Sinfonia for orchestra and eight amplified voices was written with the group in mind and marked the beginning of a hugely successful collaboration which spanned nearly forty years and led him to write, amongst other pieces, his opera Outis and the extraordinary A-Ronne. “Swingle Singing” as it has become known – it is also the title of Ward Swingle’s book – is now a singing technique to which many singers aspire and which continues to influence and inspire modern composers. These have recently included British Jazz legend John Dankworth, Michael Nyman and French composer Pascal Zavaro. Characterised by the use of non-vibrato singing, imitation of instruments, close-microphone technique and lightness of sound, the technique is increasingly popular throughout the world. The group regularly presents workshops and other educational events to adults and children, amateurs and professionals alike.

During their four decades, the swingle singers have released fifty recordings, many of which have been re-released in recent years, to mark the fortieth anniversary of the group. The group's schedule in 2007 included tours and performances in Brazil, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, America, the Far East, and extensive touring in Europe and the UK.

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