Unforgettable Big Band

So Much Fun it Should Be Illegal

"I haven't heard a big band sound this great in a long time! You all were amazing!"

"Best 'Big Band' sound around!"

Just a sampling of the comments from the Unforgettable Big Band facebook page, after the York Swing Dance Club presented their second annual "Prohibition Dance" on February 15. Timed for the day after Valentine's Day, the Roaring '20's themed event featured a "speakeasy," lots of swing dancing, a solo Charleston contest, and of course the sounds of Unforgettable, dressed for the occasion in our finest mafioso apparel.

The crowd packed the dance floor from beginning to end, as the evening got underway with free lessons in Charleston and East Coast swing dancing styles. The band roared into high gear at 9:00 with a rousing rendition of Jerry Grey's famous arrangement of "In the Mood," and the fun continued well into the early morning hours.

Unforgettable Launches Gear Shop

After several requests from members and fans for a way to obtain Unforgettable Big Band logo merchandise, the band has listened, and has partnered with Cafepress to launch the new Unforgettable Gear Shop. Literally hundreds of products are available ranging from simple t-shirts to drinkware, home and office products, photos, posters, and much much more, with additional items being added constantly.

Support Unforgettable, and help us to grow our audience by purchasing your own gear through our online shop, Cafepress offers an unconditional guarantee, and most items ship within 24 hours.

New Year's Eve 2013 a Resounding Success

Once again in 2012, the Elks Lodge in downtown York, PA was the place to be for New Year's Eve. The celebration got underway early as the revelers poured into the downtown area, and the tables were filled with reserved guests well before the buffet was opened.

Unforgettable kicked into high gear at 8:00 PM, delighting the assembled crowd with classic selections from the big band era. Jim Scofield delighted a packed dance floor with his renditions of selections made famous by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and other crooners, while Tonia Grubb brought her style to many more big band feature numbers.

Throughout the evening, the band honored memorable musical moments from the year, mentioning the 100th anniversaries of the birth of Stan Kenton and Les Brown, which took place during 2012, along with the losses of Dick Clark and Dave Brubeck.

Lake Meade Fundraising tops $16,000

For several years, Unforgettable has performed two fundraising dances annually, sponsored by the Lake Meade Homemaker's association. Most recently, the band performed a Thanksgiving Dance in November, and with that dance, total funds raised by the Lake Meade Homemakers topped $16,500.00.

The Lake Meade Homemakers association contributes all monies raised by these dances to local charitable organizations such as the food bank, volunteer fire department, Make-a-wish, and local families in need throughout the area like children with cancer, house fires, and such.

Unforgettable is proud to be a part of this ongoing effort as a part of our charitable faith-based mission. We return to the Lake Meade Community Center on April 20, 2013, and are looking forward to seeing many of our friends there.

Unforgettable to Headline Centennial Les Brown Festival

Les Brown is one of the best known names from the big band era, and beyond, as his performing career spanned seven decades with his Band of Renown, including 50 years of touring with Bob Hope on the USO circuit. The Band of Renown continues to the present day, led by Les Brown, Jr, and based in Branson, Missouri.

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of Brown's birth, and his hometown, Tower City, Pennsylvania is gearing up for a weekend long celebration. Unforgettable will headline the festivities on Saturday, March 24, along with the Manhattan Dolls, a vocal group styled after the Andrews Sisters and based in New York City. Also scheduled to appear are Les Brown, Jr., the Elizabethtown College Jazz Band, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh - Les' grandson and creator of the Disney Channel's "Phineas and Ferb," and members of the current Band of Renown.

Unforgettable Rings In 2012

Unforgettable brought in the new year with a swinging New Years Eve party at the York Elks Lodge. A near capacity crowd filled the Elks Ballroom, which was decorated in black and silver for the formal black tie event.

The event kicked off early, with Jim Spark providing piano music for social hour beginning at 6:00 PM. The Unforgettable combo took over at 7:30, performing light jazz favorites for the dinner hour and dessert.

At 9:00, the evening kicked into high gear, as the full band took to the stage, performing big band standards and contemporary music, ranging from the 1930s to the present day. The band kept swinging until 12:45, as midnight was marked with a traditional champagne toast, balloon drop, and the playing of "Auld Lang Syne."

Unforgettable closes out summer schedule, gears up for fall

A series of two back to back performances concluded Unforgettable's summer schedule on the weekend of August 19-21, 2011. Following an eventful summer, the band kicked off the weekend Friday evening with an appearance in Elkridge Landing, Maryland, just outside Baltimore, at the Doubletree Hotel, BWI Airport, in conjunction with the 65th annual reunion of the U.S. Army 5th Armored Division Association.

During the performance, the heroic veterans gathered for social time, an opportunity to meet with their comrades and brothers in arms, to socialize, dance, and interact with the others in attendance, and with the band. Sherman tank driver, Andy Cambron - age 90, spent time with vocalist Jim Scofield, discussing music, and his experiences during the war.

Unforgettable to perform at Lafayette Club

The Unforgettable Big Band will perform at the Lafayette Club in downtown York, PA on May 28, for a dinner dance scheduled by the leadership of the club.

The band will swing into gear at 7:00 following the dinner portion of the evening, and will perform selections ranging from the heyday of the big band era up through the present day. Vocalists Jim Scofield and Deb Sutton will bring their stylings to some classics of the repertoire.

Band acquires music library donation

The Unforgettable Big Band has received a substantial donation of period sheet music that will more than quadruple the size of our music library. Nearly 500 charts, representing most of the standards of big band repertoire as performed in the 1930s and 1940s are included in the collection which was obtained on April 20, 2011.

The musical contribution was presented to Unforgettable music director Tom McLaughlin by Matt Hopkins of New Freedom. Matt obtained the music from Linda Glock, who had an uncle Bernie Stronski who directed a big band known as Bernie Strong and his Orchestra in the 1940s and early 1950s, and the music library from this band had been sitting in an attic ever since, still separated into individual instrumental books. After receiving the music collection, Tom communicated with the officers of Unforgettable and arranged to donate the entire collection to the Unforgettable music library.

An Unforgettable summer, and a look ahead.

After a very productive summer season, Unforgettable is preparing to wrap up 2010 with a flurry of performances. Following an outstanding opener at Brown's Orchards North in Emigsville, the band appeared at Sprenkle Village in June. The band also highlighted the regular season at Brown's Orchards South, and in a special appearance performed for the first time in the Continental Ballroom at the Yorktowne Hotel for the annual reunion of the US Army 5th Armor Division.

Unforgettable has also developed a strong list of highly qualified musicians who love big band music, and we've been able to have a full band available for all performances and rehearsals over the last few months. We welcome Don Anstine, Tom Weller, Dale Groome, Matt Wentzel, Keith Harshaw, John Kessell, Dan Bevilacqua, Kerry Kyle, Michael Scholenthaler, Ron Rhodes, and everyone who has joined up with Unforgettable this summer to increase our depth in all sections, and to Brent Downs, Jim Scofield and Jim Spark who have returned to the band when available to increase our versatility, and to help ensure a full band when we have the opportunity to perform.