The Swingle Singers
| The Swingle Singers | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Paris, France |
| Genres | Vocal group |
| Past members |
Ward Swingle Blossom Dearie Christiane Legrand |
The Swingles are a vocal group, originally formed in 1962 in Paris, France by Ward Swingle with Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, Jean Cussac, Christiane Legrand, Blossom Dearie and other singers.
Until 2011, the group consisted of eight voices: two sopranos, two altos, two tenors and two basses. The French group performed and recorded typically with only a double bass and drums as accompaniment. The current group performs primarily a cappella. In 1973, the original French group disbanded and Ward Swingle moved to London and recruited all new members who debuted as Swingle II.
The group later performed and recorded under the name The Swingles and then, The New Swingle Singers then simply, The Swingle Singers. Recently, the group began once again operating under the name The Swingles. Since the London group's incarnation, the group has never disbanded. As individual members have left the group, the remaining members have held auditions for replacements.
The group, directed originally by Ward Swingle (who once belonged to Mimi Perrin's French vocal group Les Double Six), began as session singers mainly doing background vocals for singers such as Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf. Christiane Legrand, sister of Michel Legrand, was the original lead soprano with the group until 1972. The ensemble sang some jazz vocals for Michel Legrand. The eight session singers sang through Bach's Well-Tempered Klavier as a sight-reading exercise and found the music to have a natural swing.
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