Swing Jazz Bands?

[Wardofsky]

Are there any good modern Swing/Big Band style jazz bands?
I know there is "Cherry Poppin' Daddies"* but that is pretty much all I know of.

*That's there name in case you're wondering.

Apart from that what is the best jazz musician (in personal opinion) out there.

[eyelikeart]

have u checked out Big Bad Voodoo Daddy by chance?

also...Brian Setzer Orchestra...incredible guitar player... ;)

[trebblekicked]

john pizzarelli put out a big band album a few years ago. it's called "our love is here to stay", and it's half big band wing/jazz numbers, half sweet lil' ballads. good stuff.

there's also a GRP all-star big band album floating around out there. i've heard good things about them.

<EDIT> as for the best jazz musician part of the equation, i'd be hard pressed to say anyone but john pizzarelli. he is the best rythym guitar player since les paul. he does this amazing thing (quite often) where he scats and solos at the same time. he's a classic jazz guy (nat cole, rosemary clooney, etc etc). most of his albums were with his trio.

[Wardofsky]

Harry Connick Jr isn't bad.
I can't find many Jazz Swing Bands nowerdays, they seem to have stopped production.

[e-coli]

The Squirrel Nut Zippers are great. Worth checking out.

Also, Katherine Whalen has a side project going on called Jazz Squad which is great as well. (but, as the name suggests, it's jazz, not swing).

[mactastic]

Too many good jazz performers to even begin to pick. Start with the classics, Miles, 'trane, Getz, Brubek, Mingus, Blakey, and others and expand from there. It depends on what you are looking for in a jazz performance as well. Do you want straight-ahead stuff, be-bop, acid jazz, smooth jazz? Saxamaphone, piano, trumpet, guitar, drums, even banjo? Vocals like Ella Fitzgerald or Billy Holiday? Its a big and wonderful world of jazz, go spend some time in a good jazz section of a record store, or in a cafe that has performances.

[wdlove]

Ken Burns produces great films on PBS, interested in the proper presentation of history. Here is a site about his film on Jazz!

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/

[mactastic]

Originally posted by wdlove
Ken Burns produces great films on PBS, interested in the proper presentation of history. Here is a site about his film on Jazz!

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/

Good thinkin! I forgot all about that. Burns' look at jazz is well worth watching.

[Wardofsky]

Originally posted by wdlove
Ken Burns produces great films on PBS, interested in the proper presentation of history. Here is a site about his film on Jazz!

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/

Yeah, I've got the Ken Burns Jazz - Dave Brubeck CD.

[wdlove]

Does anyone have, "The Jazz Collector Edition?" It's a 5 CD Set with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, & Glen Miller.

[amnesiac1984]

Not sure about big name jaz bands, but I'm a regular at the "World Renoun" Old Duke Jazz pub in Bristol. Seen some awesome jazz bands there. Keith Little Hot Six, Pete Martins Jazz Kings, Code Red for funky jams and many many more.

I'll have to find a link someday.