We’re going to clear some dance floor when The Copper Cats come to The Traverse this April. Expect a big and bold mix of jazz and blues New Orleans style. Revel in some old trad standards with singer Alison Affleck and a backing band to die for – Colin Steele on trumpet, Chris Grieve on trombone, Danielle Price on tuba, Duncan Findlay on guitar, and Stu Brown on drums.
The Copper Cats perform a large amount of traditional New Orleans Blues with songs associated with Bessie Smith, Mildred Bailey, Ma Rainey, Merline Johnson, Hattie Hart and The Memphis Jug Band. With a hugely varied set-list, the band’s repertoire ranges from saucy and fun to dark and sinister and due to her 16 years living in the USA, Ali has amassed an enviable collection of rare old Southern Blues – songs that are rarely heard outside of the Crescent City of New Orleans itself.
Ali knows the ‘Vintage’ thing inside and out; she has been running her ‘Speakeasy Sessions’ in both the UK and USA for over a decade and she is also a Lindy Hop and Balboa dancer – this makes her qualified in that she completely understands what swing dancers want! With a balanced mix of tempos suitable for different swing styles and dancer ability; with some saucy old school blues thrown in for variety – all the bases are covered!
Pitch perfect, passionate, expressive, unique, refreshing, swinging and above all, totally unpretentious … Ali Affleck is the real deal – a bona fide jazz and blues vocalist with a heartfelt vintage twist.
