Midnite Follies Orchestra

The Midnite Follies Orchestra was originally formed in 1978 by Keith Nichols and Alan Cohen to perform, in an authentic manner, the repertoire of the great bands of the 1920s and 1930s. Inevitably there was a great deal of Duke Ellington in the band book and the orchestra is unrivalled on this side of the Atlantic in the re-creation of the great Ellington masterpieces of the period.

The late Adelaide Hall ( of Creole Love Call fame ) in 1987 said that to work with the Midnite Follies was like being back with the Ellington Orchestra.

The Midnite Follies also include in their repertoire Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, Luis Russell and many more of the period.

As so much of this music only exists on recordings, the aim of Alan and Keith was twofold. First to take down the music from the records; no easy task bearing in mind the recording quality of the times and second to find to find musicians of a suitable calibre who are able to play the music from the written note and also play the solos with the correct feeling.

The all-star line-up of the original Midnite Follies did this beautifully and following the death of Keith Nichols in 2020, the youngest member in the band in the 1980s , Alistair Allan, has reformed the band with Alan Cohens support employing musicians of a world class standard who are all dedicated specialists in the early vintage big band sound.

This is the best chance we have ever had to hear the music of Ellington et al played live.

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