Every Thursday night since 1998, crowds have filled the historic Green Mill Jazz Club in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood to hear and dance to the Big Band and swing music of the Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra.
Featured in the MGM movie "Return to Me," starring David Duchovny, Minnie Driver and Bonnie Hunt, the Swing Shift Orchestra brings the jumping, swinging music of the 30s and 40s to roaring life with its impeccable 15-musician crew. And, it does so as if part on an old-time radio show, complete with an emcee and actors performing era commercials.
The Swing Shift Orchestra has performed at such events as the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts 2008 Midsummer Night Swing Series, the Chicago Jazz Festival and Taste of Chicago The band has also been featured on CBS TV, WGN TV and WTTW TV, Chicago’s Public Broadcasting Station, and broadcast a live concert on WLIP AM radio based in Kenosha, WI.
The Swing Shift Orchestra specializes in unique, vintage arrangements from the 1930's and 1940's. Granted unlimited access to the Balaban and Katz Theatre Orchestra Collection of 26,000 stock arrangements, the orchestra performs fox trots, tangos, waltzes, ballads, and, of course, swing with an authenticity and vibrancy that epitomizes the golden age of American dance music.
To join the band mailing list, send an email to:
swingshift@stitely.com
Benny Goodman, Fletcher
Henderson & Spud Murphy
Don't Be That Way
Moon Rose
Dixie Lee
By The Great Horn Spoon, 1936
The King's Horses
Fascinating Rhythm
Black Maria
I'm Pixilated Over You
Loch Lomond,1937
Benny Rides Again
Bob Crosby
Big Noise From Winnetka, 1939
Kitten On The Keys, Zez Confrey
Arr. Will Hudson 1939
Gin Mill, Special Arr.
by
Sammy Lowe
You're Driving Me Crazy
Mr. Ghost Goes To Town,
Arr. Will Hudson 1936
Artie Shaw
Serenade To A Savage,
Artie Shaw '39
Begin The Beguine,
Cole Porter, 1939
Jezebel, Harry Warren and
Johnny Mercer, Arr. Jack
Mason, 1938
Glenn Miller
In The Mood, 1939
A String Of Pearls
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (Means
Your Grand) 1937
Arr. Jack Mason
The Rumba Jumps, Hoagy Carmichael
I Wanna Hat With Cherries, 1937
Little Brown Jug, 1939
Harry James
I've Heard That Song Before
B-19, Harry James
Polka Dots and Moonbeams, Jimmy Van Heusen
Arr. Helmy Kresa. 1940
Sentimental Journey, 1944
King Porter Stomp
Back Beat Boogie 1943
Count Basie
One O'Clock Jump 1938
Sleeper Jump 1943
Avenue 'C' 1944
Roseland Shuffle 1943
Sub-Deb Blues arr. Charlie Hathaway
Taxi War Dance 1939
Jumpin' At The Woodside 1938
Swingin' The Blues
Duke Ellington
Sump' about Rhythm, arr. Alex Hill '36
Squeeze Me, Arr. Alan Gresik
Merry Go 'Round, 1936
Sophisticated Lady
Take The 'A' Train
Rockin' In Rhythm 1936
I'm Just A Lucky So and So1945
Mood Indigo
Scattin' At The Kit Kat, arr. J. Haymes
Boy Meets Horn 1937
Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey
Song of India
Green Eyes
Tangerine
S-h-i-n-e, Arr. Vic Scheon 1939
Music Goes 'Round and 'Round 1936
National Anthem of Swing
Sunset Strip
It's The Dreamer In Me
Short Snorter 1944
Frank Sinatra
There's No You
My Old Flame
Dolores
I've Got You Under My Skin
Chicago
New York, New York
It Had To Be You
Taking A Chance On Love
Slow Boat To China
Star Dust
You Make Me Feel So Young
Snootie Little Cutie
Cab Callaway – Chick Web
Minnie, The Moocher,
Arr. Will Hudson
A Tisket, A Tasket
Ella Fitzgerald '38
Raymond Scott
Power House
Woody Herman
Wood Choppers Ball 1938
Down Under 1943
Blues Upstairs,
Downstairs Blues 1941
Fan It 1941
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Xavier Cugat
Sleepy Lagoon
My Cuban Sombrero 1951
Besame Mucho
Cuban Mambo
No Moon At All
Mambo in F
Mambo Jambo
World War II
I'll Be Seeing You
The Song of the Seabees,
Music by Peter De Rose (Stardust)
Comin' In On A Wing and a Prayer
Marines Hymn
Anchor's Away
Amy Air Corps
Goodbye Mama I'm off to Yokohama
Coast Guard Forever
Hip, Hip, Hooray – We're Living In The USA
Waltz's
Together
Tenderly
Daddy's Little Girl
Robbins Waltz Medley
Fascination
Other Big Band Era
Dance Favorites
Darktown Strutter's Ball 1935
720 in the Books, Jan Savitt and his
Top Hatters 1939
A Lover's Lullaby
Digga, Digga, Doo
Again
Jersey Bounce
Do You Ever Think Of Me? 1937
Cherokee, Arr. by Ray Noble 1936
Let's Face The Music and Dance, Fred Astaire
Ain't Misbehavin' Fats Waller
I'm Confessin' That I Love You
Melancholy Serenade,
Jackie Gleason Jango Reinhardt 1953
'S Wonderful, Gershwin Brothers 1939
Jingle Jangle Jingle, Kay Kiser 1942
I'm Thru With Love
Harlem Nocturne
Caldonia
Rock A Bye Boogie, Will Bradley
Goody Goody
Always, Irving Berlin
Sweet Georgia Brown
The Best Things In Life Are Free
The Gypsy In My Soul
Honeysuckle Rose
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
Lullaby of Birdland
Juggle Jitters 1937
All My Life
There! I've Said It Again
Hooray For Spinach, Paul Whiteman
Maybe You'll Be There
Ain't She Sweet<
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Elks Parade
You Don't Know What Love Is
Summer Dawn, Roy Blakeman 1942
Java Jive
Over The Rainbow, 1939
Rain
Close Your Eyes
Patty Cake Man
Missouri Scrambler, Will Osboure
Where Was I? 1939
Doin' What Comes Naturally
Holiday Songs
Winter Wonder Land, 1936
Let It Snow, 1947
Jingle Bells, Spud Murphy & Benny Goodman 1935
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 1935
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
I would like to recommend Alan Gresik and
the Swing Shift Orchestra to anyone considering hiring a band. We hired
him and his band to play at our Reunion event, which hosted more than
1,200 alumni and seniors from the University of Chicago. His band was a
great hit among all, regardless of age. Alumni and students, young and
old, filled the dance floor. Many alumni and staff emailed us and told
us how much they enjoyed the dance, primarily because of the wonderful
band. We're still getting wonderful responses! One of our alumni wrote
to say: "I was going to email you to tell you that the band at the
dance was WONDERFUL. Loved it – everyone was raving. And I was
with people who went last year, and weren't going to go this year
because they didn't like last year’s music. Even they were
impressed. Way to go!!!!
- Kristin Scott,
University of Chicago Alumni Association
It's been over two weeks since our Taste of
Andersonville Dinner Dance, and people in the neighborhood are STILL
talking about how fabulous the band was. Your wonderful dance music was
an integral part of the success of our event. If it's true that the
measure of a good party is the dance floor, our event was terrific! As
you know, we were concerned about finding music that all our guests,
young and old, would be comfortable with. The vintage sound was just
perfect for our 80th anniversary celebration, and your addition of some
more recent music was much appreciated. The tremendous energy of the
band and fun interludes by the radio announcer got throngs of people on
their feet. I also can't thank you enough for all of your extra help in
putting the event together. Your generosity with your time and your
concern about the event were just amazing.
- Ellen Shepherd, Executive Director
Andersonville Chamber of Commerce
Just a quick note to tell you what a wonderful job you and the Swing
Shift Orchestra did at our recent Time for Celebration gala. Everyone
had a great time and really enjoyed the music. The band kept the
ambiance and mood upbeat and entertaining. Keep up the great work and I
look forward to working with you again in the future.
- Colleen Kruse, Manager
Advancement Events
