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Swing Essence


Overview

Swing Essence is Currently Unavailable.

About

Known as The Jazz, Dance, and Party Band, Swing Essence has been thrilling audiences since 2004 with a seasoned library of music, some of the finest musicians in the area, and experience with a host of great venues.

Based on the idea that people of all ages love the classics, the group selects popular tunes from the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s, and jazz, swing, and blues inspired music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, reminding us of the great musical heritage we have from those periods. The music is arranged specifically for Swing Essence format, so the sound is exciting and fresh, yet the music is familiar to everyone, including dazzling instrumentals and classic vocal selections.

We build the core band like a legendary jazz quintet, with trumpet and saxophone, keyboard, bass, and drums, then front it with guitar and vocals for the complete package. Kevin Karrick, the guitarist/vocalist and arranger for Swing Essence, has roots in rock, classical, and jazz music, with a large repertoire from the swing and rock eras and years of experience in this role.

Styles

Swing, Rock, R&B, Jazz, Dance, Vocals

Events

Festival, Corporate, Winery Event, Private Party

Photo gallery

Video and Audio

 

Stray Cat Strut
Sir Duke
Sing Sing Sing
Let's Stay Together
I Wish
Take The A Train

Reviews

“Kevin Karrick and Swing Essence did an awesome job for our Father’s celebration of life event. Kevin was excellent with communications, music selection and stage appearance! Kevin came early to setup and made sure everything would run perfectly… The band presented themselves as total professionals! Would highly recommend Swing Essence with Kevin & Susan!”
Orvil I, Salem, OR

10/19/19

“Kevin,
Thank you!! I loved the music playing while our guests were finding their places in the ballroom, while they were eating and of course, for dancing! It was a pleasure working with you. Let me know if you would like a formal recommendation and how I can get that to you. Laura”
Laura K.

11/3/12

“Swing Essence was a great choice for our fundraiser event. They were very accommodating to our schedule and the delays we had. The guests thoroughly enjoyed dancing to their music and listening to their CD during dinner. Kevin was great to work with and very easy to reach. Would definitely recommend them!”
Suzanne S.

9/22/12

“Swing Essence did a wonderful job with our wedding, I highly recommend them.”
Matthew and Susan C.

7/7/12

“I am so happy we chose swing essence for our wedding reception. They had an amazing sound which everyone young and old could enjoy. Kevin was very easy and accommodating to work with. If I had my wedding to do over again I would still choose them!”
Emilie W.

6/23/12

“It was a wonderful time and everyone really enjoyed the music. People commented that the music they provided made the evening extra special.”
Jenny G. (rehearsal dinner)

6/22/12

“Everything went great! The band was a lot of fun and played a great selection of music!”
Patricia Y.

5/12/12

“The Swing Essence musicians are very talented and professional. We have received rave reviews from our guests, including some of our fiercest critics. We were very impressed and pleased with the band’s flexibility and willingness to accommodate us both before and during the event. Everyone had a wonderful time and really enjoyed Swing Essence. Thank you for making our event one to remember!”
Debra E.

3/3/12

“Dear Kevin,
Thank you so much for the great music at the Cheyenne Symphony Ball. We got so many compliments on your music and presentation. I just came from a board meeting where only the most positive comments were about Swing Essence. I will absolutely recommend you!
My Best, Cindy”

11/19/11

“ AMAZING! They stole the show all night long! Everyone was very very impressed with their ability to please the older and younger generations all at the same time! Everyone had a blast, I mean that! Would recommend them to anyone!
Seth and Brigid”

6/18/11

“Wow! Swing Essence is truly an excellent band. They played a wide variety of music and kept the crowd entertained all evening. They are truly awesome performers. Many of our guests commented on how great the band was. Thank you so very much. We highly recommend this band for any occasion.”
JoAnn M.

4/2/11

“Kevin:

Thank you to you and your band for making my daughter's wedding so special. From the time we started talking about the wedding until we walked out after the reception, you made everything easy. Your communications eased my mind that the wedding ceremony and the reception would be exactly as we had planned; you did a bang-up job learning the "first dance" and "father-daughter" songs (there was not a dry eye in the place). The fact that you provided the music for the ceremony as well as the reception made the transition easy, and my pre-wedding preparations easy. All the guests were talking about how good the band was - your professionalism, your energy, your sound, it made them want to dance - and that they did! I heard only good comments and will refer you to whomever I know who will need either a band or ceremony music. I was so glad I didn't go the DJ route - your energy and sound were immeasurable and your repertoire was unfathomable!
Thanks again,
Sandra M.”

4/30/11

“..loved your sound and you were easy to work with. Will definitely be calling you again for another gig in the future.
Cyndi, Event Planner and Designer”
Cyndi S.

12/11/10

“Your music was superb at my daughter's wedding at the Stanley October 15. Swing Essence added so much to the celebration!Do you have any CDs available?”
Maggie G.

10/15/10

“Dear Kevin & Swing Essence,

Thanks you for helping make our wedding unforgettable! The music was so perfect & our guests had the time of their lives. A big thanks for learning the two ceremonial songs I requested just 1 week before the wedding. They sounded as if you'd played them for years! Thanks for a job so well done!
Aloha from Hawaii..

We just got back from Maui. The wedding was beautiful and we were so very pleased with the musical ambiance you created. We really couldn't have asked for the entire event to have been any better, it was a truly memorable event and people are still gushing about it. You and your band should be very proud of yourselves, you do good work and maintain professionalism always. I sent you a postcard from Maui, hope you got it.
Thank you a million times more!
Jessica and Garrett”

9/18/10

“Kevin,

We really had a great time dancing to your music at the wedding. I know it was a challenge being an outdoor wedding with the rain. It really meant a lot for you to work with us and figure out a way to make this all happen. Your music was great and we got lots of compliments. I gave your name out to a bunch of people. Please let us know if you guys are playing any other public venues. We would love to come dance and relive our fabulous day!
Scott”

6/12/10

“One of our members noted he had arranged a similar conference in the LA area and had to pay $10,000 for a band that was not even half as good as you all. Thanks again.
Donna”

5/8/10

“I was very impressed with the variety of music played by Swing Essence, their ability to play songs requested by our group, and their willingness to work with us regarding performance time. They were a very friendly group and were well liked by our group.”
Donna D.

5/8/10

“Hi Kevin,

Sorry it's taken so long to get in touch with you, I've been meaning to write a lot sooner. I would like to thank you and your band members for helping make my wedding absolutely perfect. You guys far exceeded my expectation. The songs you played were exactly what I was looking for and you sounded amazing. I was having so much fun I didn't even realize it was 10PM! My guests all loved you too, as I'm sure you could tell by the non-stop dancing. I would also like to thank you once again for taking the time to learn "our" song, that really meant a lot to Mike and myself. As far as prospective clients, they would be crazy not to hire you (but you probably can't write that, huh?), so instead please feel free to quote any of my compliments as I mean them all.
Sincerely,
Melissa C.”

10/3/09

“Dear Kevin,
Words fail me as I recall how wonderfully your band, Swing Essence, added to the entire evening of my daughter's wedding. I know from our conversations and from your CD that you could produce beautiful music. What I didn't know what that you and your band members would inspire all of our guests to participate in the dancing. Thank you, thank you for the fabulous job on August 16th. We are happy to recommend your band to anyone looking for a great sound. Please feel free to use me as a reference in the future.
Sincerely,
Barb S. formerly known as MOB.”

8/16/09

“Hey Kevin,
I just wanted to call and say honestly thank you for such a wonderful performance last night. Kelly and I were just talking about it and were extremely thrilled with your selection and your music. Everything was perfect, and you had so many compliments on everything you guys did. We're off to our honeymoon, and so basically just wanted to say thanks, honestly, for just making it just such a wonderful evening. Please extend our appreciation to the rest of the group.
Adam G.”

8/08/09

“Kevin,
Thank you so much for your awesome performance at our wedding. Our guests danced the night away and we got compliments all night, as well as long after the wedding, about how great Swing Essence was. I have not been to many weddings with live entertainment, and your band was an obvious cut above. I would highly recommend you to any bride and groom looking for classy, fun, and professional entertainment for their event.
Cindy and Ed”

8/01/09

“Hi Kevin,
Thanks for playlists - they were fun to look at to see if I could even remember the songs. The entire day is such a blur to me! :-) You can definitely tell your prospective clients that we received so many compliments about the music and the band at our wedding. Many people said it was one of the best wedding bands they had ever heard. We had people on the dance floor until the very last song was played. It was fantastic - just what we were hoping for!

Bobbee”

7/12/09

“Kevin & Band,
Jared and I would like to say thank you so much for making our reception so wonderful. We along with the guests thoroughly enjoyed your performance. It was so wonderful to have you all be a part of our special day. Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Jared and Kristina Dockendorf”

5/23/09

“We loved you guys, Kevin! You are so classy and professional, great musicians and it was our best party yet. I look forward to hiring you again sometime for other occasions.
Stephanie”

12/20/08

“Kevin,
We can’t thank you enough.
Countless guests commented on how incredibly tight the band was. I think people were genuinely surprised that we’d gotten such a talented group halfway up a ski hill in remote little Telluride.
The sound and set list were exactly what we wanted, a big band foundation with some great diversity mixed in. People danced and enjoyed, just as we had hoped.
We also truly appreciate you learning Singing in the Rain (on short notice) as it was a special moment for Jon and his mom (and more appropriate than we might have liked given the weather conditions that evening).
The music was the most important piece. But we also can’t overstate what a joy it was to work with you along the way. From the day we first connected, you were professional, responsive and unbelievably accommodating.
Please feel free to share any/all of the above with prospective clients. Gorrono should list you as a preferred band in the future.
All the best.
Heather & Jon”

10/4/08

“Kevin,
Beth and I want to give you the deepest of thanks for playing at our wedding. Your band truly made our reception memorable. The music selection was perfect for the audience, your timing and reaction to our needs was impeccable and, most importantly, the quality of the musicians in your band was five star. (Your saxophonist received especially high marks from a friend with a masters in music performance focused in sax) You had our audience dancing for the entire time you played. Many people left the reception exhausted! I think the highlight of the night was the audience chanting, "We love the band!" at the end of the second set. It was obvious then I had picked a winner. Please let me know if you need any references as I would be happy to oblige. Thanks again!
Adam and Beth”

9/13/08

“Kevin,
Thank you for your email. Your band made our wedding an absolutely fantastic evening. I was really impressed with your band, and will certainly recommend your band to others. It was a great pleasure working with you. Thank you for all your help.
Lizzy and Ben”

8/30/08

“Hi Kevin,
Thank you so much for the great performance at our wedding - it made the day truly special. Everyone we talk to about our wedding mentions how much they loved the band. It was so great to see everyone enjoying the music, dancing, and really taking part of our special day - it was hugely due to the energy to brought to it. Thanks again!
Best,
Jenn”

7/27/08

“Hi Kevin,
We had a blast at the wedding. Everyone was laughing and dancing and having a great time. The music sounded wonderful, even in such a small venue. The trumpet was a perfect add. Thank you for putting on a great show and making our event such a success.
It was also a real pleasure working with you. You made everything very easy. Dave loved the song that he danced to with his mom. Thanks again for learning that.
Hope you are doing well and enjoying the Summer.
Gretchen”

6/14/08

“Dear Kevin,
Megan and I would first off like to thank you and the whole band from the bottom of our hearts. You truly played a huge role in making our wedding a day to remember. Swing essence is constantly one of the first things mentioned about our wedding. I was more than proud to say that the play list was all your own device and that there was merely a suggestion of a direction from Megan and myself. Had I spent months going over songs and playlist and artists I couldnt have dreamed that I could have put together as smooth or flowing a set as that. You transitioned so seemlessly that dinner turned to talking, turned to dancing to goodnight without even realizing. I would be hard pressed to find another band that can do as much, as well as Swing Essence. I look forward to recommending you and hopefully seeing you at a future event. Again thank you so much.
Jeff and Megan”

9/01/07

“ You guys were amazing! Thanks so much for making our wedding so great. It was perfect.
Julia Dunham

Everyone had a great time at the reception. Thank you for providing such wonderful entertainment. All of our guests were impressed with the performance of the band. Thank you for helping make this such a memorable occasion. The band was awesome!
Patrick D.”

7/27/07

“Hi Kevin,

Thank you so much for such an awesome band experience for our wedding. Everyone raved about the event and complimented you guys. I will definitely keep you in informed with any potential clients that are looking for a great band for an event.
Jeff R.”

10/06/07

“Hi Kevin,

Thank you for the amazing job you and Swing Essence did at our wedding reception. Swing Essence made our wedding reception fun, entertaining, and memorable for all. Your professionalism and involvement in making our wedding day perfect was greatly appreciated and will forever be remembered. Thank you, and please thank the rest of your band for driving all the way to Telluride to be a part of the celebration. I have attached a few pictures that I thought showcased the class of Swing Essence in any setting...please use for promotion if you see fit. Also, Adam and I would be happy to give a recommendation for Swing Essence at any time and would encourage any bride or groom that wants a swinging good time at their wedding reception to hire you.

Thanks again for everything.
Tammy and Adam T.”

6/16/07

“Kevin - We were so pleased with your music and arrangements for Mindy & Daniel's wedding on 7/7/07. We could have danced all night!!!!! Loved the softness of the music during the dinner and the "get up and get out there" after. Mindy & Daniel made the "BEST" choice. Thank you so much for making their wedding an "affair to remember".

Sincerely,
Mitchell & Joyce P.”

7/07/07

“Thank you for providing such wonderful music for our wedding reception! Everyone had such a wonderful time dancing including us. We would highly recommend you! Thanks again for making our night extra special.
Sincerely, Cristin and Matt”

9/03/06

“Hey Kevin!

I was planning to send you a quick thank you, we just got back from our incredible and romantic honeymoon in Scotland a couple days ago, and I am still quite jet lagged... but we'll be back to normal soon! Our day was absolutely perfect and more than I ever could have hoped for, your music created the most wonderful atmosphere, and all of the guests had wonderful things to say about you guys! My dad was so happy that he was able to get a copy of your CD and I would definitely recommend you to any of my friends. One of our guests (a retired NFL player) already mentioned that he would like to book the venue and entertainment for a family party - everyone just loved it!

Thanks again,
Bridget and Ryan”

8/26/06

“Just wanted to send you a note to tell you how much everyone enjoyed Swing Essence's performance at the wedding reception. I can't tell you how many people have told me it made the night. You all were wonderful- thank you so much!
Joan”

7/22/06

“My fiance (now husband) and I are both musicians so the music at our wedding reception was extremely important to us. When we found Swing Essence we were impressed from the beginning. Kevin was incredibly easy and professional to work with from the planning process through the end of the event..they even arranged 2 songs for us. We loved the range of music they played because it was appropriate for all parts of the reception from jazz and bossa nova during dinner to great dance sets that kept the dance floor full throughout the night. Swing Essence helped to make our receptiontruly memorable!

Alyssa & Cameron”

“Dear Kevin,

I would be effervescent about recommending you & your band to any party! What a great combination of musicianship, energy, song choice, etc. We have a great photo of my 81 year old mother singing "We are Family", cane in the air--we have it titled "Raising Cane"! Thanks again for accommodating our requests--it all went by too quickly (especially with the storm interlude)--maybe one day in the future we'll have occasion to hook up again—Priscilla
Mother of the Groom”

6/24/06

“Working with Kevin and Swing Essence was a very pleasant experience. Planning the entertainment went smoothly; Kevin used our opinions and suggestions when putting together the play list. The pricing was extremely reasonable for six hours of live music. We truly got to experience one great song after another all evening. Kevin was also kind enough to transpose and rehearse a song that's traditionally sung at my family's weddings. The band was extremely flexible during the reception. When we had to postpone dinner for a while the cocktail trio extended their set so our guests would stay entertained. The dancing segment of the evening was a hit. Our guests loved the live band, and all the band members were energetic and fun. The floor was hopping until the reception ended. I highly recommend Swing Essence and Kevin Karrick to anyone looking for a great live band with style to add to their event.
Andra and Jeremy”

6/23/06

“There were songs for everyone, proof of which was the variety of ages, dancers and non-dancers, who danced all night long. I had guests approach me to let me know that the band was amazing and that they had never experienced a band like Swing Essence at a party, wedding, or any other function for that matter.

Your performance kept the night flowing in a fun, dynamic, elevated state, and the reception just wouldn’t have been a party without you. Your amazing sound filled the room with an energy that far exceeded Jason’s and my expectations, and the atmosphere you created was perfect all night long.

... the most important thing to me was to have an awesome band at the wedding, so that people could dance and celebrate to the fullest. You fulfilled that dream for me more than I can ever explain to you or thank you for. I won’t hesitate a second to recommend Swing Essence to anyone who is looking for a fantastic band.
Jenn and Jason”

8/27/06

“Swing Essence played something for everyone, and people danced all night long. We received the best feedback in years from our employees regarding our party.
Mindy, Yampa Valley Medical Center”

12/8/05

“On behalf of the swing dance scene in Northern Colorado - you guys are one of the best bands we have ever had on stage! You guys really understand the meaning of a dance band! :)
Chris - The Rhythm Company, Inc”

9/19/05

“Kevin and the entire band were very professional, their selection of music was great!" "We've heard so many compliments from our guests and I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a band for their wedding.

Travis and Barbara”

9/10/05

“Kevin,
Thanks so much for the GREAT music at our wedding! You guys are top-notch... We would highly recommend you to our friends.
Sincerely,
Lisa”

12/31/04

“Kevin Karrick & Swing Essence made our reception a dream come true with fantastic live music that all of our guests enjoyed and raved about!
Adam & Erin”

10/10/04

“Hi Kevin,
I just wanted to let you know how happy I was to have you and the other members of Swing Essence perform at our wedding. I had complete trust in you to plan the entire song list with few suggestions and I was so happy with the results. You had everyone on the dance floor from all ages rippin' it up! So many people at our reception commented on how great you all sounded!

It was good to hear how much fun they had and how awesome you and your female vocalist were. I have already recommended your band twice and will continue to. Thank you for making my wedding night even that much more special.
Valerie, The Bride”

08/21/04

“Dear Kevin,
What else can I say but WOW!! Your Band was such a big hit at my daughter's Wedding Reception!! First of all, you were just great to work with. You were professional, enthusiastic and very accommodating to all our requests and needs. But what is most impressive was all the raves I heard from my guests. And that was not all that easy considering so many of them were fussy musicians themselves (both instrumental musicians and vocal musicians). I am still getting comments on how much fun "the band" was, even from my florist who was setting up at the same time you were and wrote down your name for future reference. You all helped make the evening fun,festive and a total success.
Thank you so much. I am a very happy 'Mother of the Bride'.

Sincerely,
Terri”

5/29/04
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