Athabasca’s Swing Cats Orchestra will bring its swinging big band sound to the Magnificent River Rats Festival for the third time on Canada Day, but with a few changes, including a new singer.
Blues chanteuse Tracey Lindberg has moved to Edmonton, and Kathy Dearle has stepped forward to take the microphone. Swing Cats member Reg Silvester said Dearle has brought a country tinge to some of the songs.
She is accompanied by the other accomplished Swing Cats musicians: multiple horn players, a bassist, a guitarist, a drummer and more.
While the band’s piano player won’t be in attendance at the River Rats performance, Silvester said the band will have no trouble filling the 50-minute slot.
The repertoire will be similar to what the Swing Cats have done in the past — think “Choo Choo Ch’boogie” and “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” — plus a few new songs, including the Patsy Cline standard “Crazy” and “St. Louis Blues.”
The band has also started playing some tunes by a singer named Caro Emerald.
“We played at the Liquid Lounge a couple of weeks ago in Westlock, and we played a piece called ‘Liquid Lunch,’ which is actually a cautionary tale about never do it,” said Silvester of one Emerald tune the Swing Cats have picked up.
Silvester said the River Rats appearance is a highlight on the Swing Cats’ calendar.
“We’re pleased to have a nice, late afternoon slot. We hope there will be lots of people,” he said.
Silvester said he’s looking forward to the audience reactions — the uninhibited dancing, the clapping and even the surprise.
“I think they’re not expecting a band that can play that kind of music with that kind of energy coming out of Athabasca,” he said. “The more people we can surprise, the better.”
