London vintage band Down For The Count All-Stars are touring their new album Just You, Just Me in their show A Century Of Swing at The Electric Theatre in Guildford on October 6 at 7.30pm.

They have been making waves on the UK jazz scene with their warm, engaging and energetic performances as they bring the sounds of the swing era back to life.

The audience will hear hits from the album, including Exactly Like You and C’est Magnifique, as they are taken on a journey celebrating the very best of swing.

The show also includes original arrangements of beloved classics written by band members Simon Joyner and Mike Paul-Smith.

The band started life as a group of school friends in the inspiring environment of the Aylesbury Music Centre in Buckinghamshire in 2005.

Musical director Mike Paul-Smith said: “All of us took part in student orchestras and jazz bands and had amazing opportunities to perform at places like the Royal Albert Hall, on tour at the North Sea Jazz festival, and at great concerts with famous jazz artists. Without the fantastic environment at our local music centre we never would have had the idea to form the band and try to do the same sort of thing ourselves.”

Initially they performed at local weddings and parties before quickly becoming one of the most in-demand event bands in the UK. But a spontaneous trip to a Bedfordshire vintage festival in 2012 renewed the band’s love of vintage swing music from the 1940s, and the next year they returned as performers. It all grew from there.

Mike, who read medicine at Oxford University, said: “Like many musicians I had a dilemma in my late teens about whether or not to go to music college. I chose to study medicine and loved it, and after graduating I even decided to do a PhD in gene therapy.

“However, I was finding that each year we were getting more and more performance opportunities, so I made the decision to concentrate on music full-time about six years ago – and haven’t regretted the decision yet!

“Each year brings new special memories. In 2018 we had a three-night residency at Le Caveau de la Huchette in Paris, Europe’s oldest jazz club and the club featured at the end of the film La La Land. Then in 2021, we performed to 10,000 people at an outdoor concert where we were supporting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

“We want the audience to leave feeling energised and inspired to go and learn more about the origins of this incredible and varied genre of music.”

For tickets, priced £25, call 01483 501200.