ROYAL CROWN REVUE

ROYAL CROWN REVUE, the founding fathers and absolute rulers of the neo-swing movement ­ the reigning kings of all that is sartorially and otherwise splendid in classic American music, bring you a brand new record in 2004!

Often imitated, but rarely matched, RCR has pioneered, over its fifteen-year career, a totally unique sound and style, serving as the blueprint for an entire generation of musicians and music lovers. This band was and is the spearheading force behind the "retro style" which has exploded from underground scene into bona fide cultural phenomenon.

In 1989, with the West Coast flanked by grunge bands to the north and hair bands to the south, singer EDDIE NICHOLS and tenor man MANDO DORAME decided it was time for something completely different. Drawing from collective roots in Southern California punk, rockabilly, East Side R&B and NYC street corner doo wop, the two began experimenting with a hybrid of roots styles, creating original music that drew its inspiration from the past, but was firmly placed in the present (and unknowingly) the future! Manic live shows at LA's underground clubs proved instantly popular and it quickly became clear that that a new style was being created and adorned. Trumpeter SCOTT STEEN, upright bass player VEIKKO LEPISTO, drummer DANIEL GLASS, guitarist JAMES ACHOR and saxophonist/arranger BILL UNGERMAN sealed the core group, each man throwing his own world of influence, experience and talent into the mix.

By 1991, RCR had released it's first album, KINGS OF GANGSTER BOP, and was ceaselessly touring America and Europe, playing hundreds of shows to fans thrilled to hear a new genre of American music. The band also caused a stir with their love for all things vintage. From razor-sharp double-breasted suits to fedoras, hand painted 40's ties, vintage instruments, cars and furniture - the band embraced the retro lifestyle to its fullest. In city after city, the band's enthusiastic approach inspired fans to make their own connections with classic American culture and thus began the scene that would soon become a full-scale movement.

In 1993, ROYAL CROWN REVUE began a two-year house gig at a fledging club in Hollywood, which would play a pivotal role in the band's career. Built by Cecil B. DeMille in the 1920's, The Derby had undergone a major restoration, and its art deco motif proved the perfect setting for the band's stylish looks and high-energy delivery. Within months, RCR was playing to packed houses, creating a huge buzz in LA and beyond, and drawing influential Hollywood players interested in seeing old made new again.

One such observer was Chuck Russell, who asked the band to recreate their turbo-charged stage show for his film The Mask, which starred Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz. RCR's cameo in this 1994 film made their song "Hey Pachuco!" an instant classic. The song's infectious jungle groove and shout chorus went on to grace countless film scores, Las Vegas revues, an Acura advertising campaign, and numerous television shows such as King of the Hill. RCR also served as inspiration for the hit movie Swingers, which brought the new music, dance and fashion ground swell to a larger public. Writer and star John Favreau originally scripted the film's style and dance sequences around his experiences as a Derby regular at RCR's now legendary Wednesday night shows.

In 1995 producer/A&R man, Ted Templeman, witnessed the Crown's magic at the Derby and signed them to Warner Brothers Records. The resulting album, MUGZY'S MOVE, formally established the band's "hard-boiled" style, with songs of gangsters, Hollywood street life and big-top tragedies. The album was a tapestry, weaving tales of hard knocks with the cultural imaginings of a time gone by when women were sultry, men cool, and cars and music hot. As Nichols says, "we put it through the underground route and kicked it in the ass!"

Over the next seven years, in addition to a heavy tour schedule, RCR made innumerable television, radio and print appearances, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Viva Variety, the Today Show and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 1998 the group appeared at the Playboy Jazz Festival, recorded and performed live with Bette Midler at the Billboard Music Awards and composed the original theme for the WB Network's television season. The following year, they graced an eclectic mixture of stages ­ from major Jazz Festivals like Concord and Newport, to the Warped Tour, an opening slot for KISS and The Hollywood Bowl, and the band broadened its international sphere of influence to cover Japan and Australia. The Gap and the New York Times acknowledged RCR as pioneers of style, and CNN and BRAVO told the world that RCR recreated a style that was here to stay!

In the midst of this perpetual motion RCR released three more albums: 1997's live recording CAUGHT IN THE ACT, 1998's THE CONTENDER (the second studio recording for Warner Bros.), and with independent LA punk label Side1/Dummy, they released the very original WALK ON FIRE (1999).

In terms of the "industry standard," CAUGHT IN THE ACT was a daring move as the band proved they could deliver both in and out of the studio. Years of shows in every conceivable setting captured the CROWN at its spontaneous best. The live material shows off RCR's immense diversity, incorporating musical references that run the gamut from Duke Ellington, to Bobby "Blue" Bland, to Sam Butera.

THE CONTENDER, with another solid mix of originals, covers, and refreshing arrangements, brought the marriage of classic sound with modern Rock'n'Roll energy to the next level. The album stood as the musical antidote to the kitschy, almost cartoonish offerings of the commercially oriented swing imitators who had cropped up in the wake of the '90s "swing craze." RCR, while always on a mission to educate and delight the widest possible audience, persisted in its choice of sophisticated material, such as Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Parker's perennial favorite "Salt Peanuts". THE CONTENDER's original numbers, such as "Walkin' Like Brando" and "Port-au-Prince" showed a new maturity and incorporated an ever-widening variety of Classic American styles and influences. Such risk taking paid off, and THE CONTENDER was critically acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone (who had given a fairly tepid reception to the swing movement in general).

With WALK ON FIRE, RCR gave new proof of its immense creativity, depth and diversity. The record was recorded using the band's extensive collection of vintage instruments and recording gear, including original RCA "44" ribbon microphones. What results is a sound that is beautiful and thrilling, reminiscent of the best ensembles from the '40s and '50s, a perfect backdrop for Nichols' exquisite vocal talents. "She Walks on Fire kicks in with Latin flavored horns that are somehow worthy of both Gene Vincent and James Bond. The record continues with the honkin' R&B number "Watts Local", a tribute to Mando's early days in Watts playing aside the likes of sax honker "Big Jay" McNeely.

Since 2000, the band continues to tour frequently and has broken into international markets like Japan and Australia. In tribute to their tremendous Aussie fans, RCR released PASSPORT TO AUSTRALIA: LIVE (2001), recorded at the Hi-Fi Bar in Melbourne. This CD showcases the bands amazing live performances coupled with their infectious raw energy and Eddie's infamous stage banter. In 2002, RCR headlined the world famous Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the legendary Viva Las Vegas International Rockabilly and Roots festival held in Sin City. In 2003, the band appeared at the Crossroad Roots Festival in Gijon, Spain.

2003 also saw the inclusion of the band's music in the following films: "The Cat in Hat," "Something's Gotta Give" (which took its title from RCR's version of the classic standard), as well as the TV series "Wonder Falls." In 2004, RCR will release its seventh album (tentatively entitled "Greetings from Hollywood"), and has plans to return to both Australia and Europe. The RCR horn section will spend the first three months of 2004 on the road with Bette Midler as an integral part of the "Kiss My Brass" tour (Bette's first outing in over four years).

With a fifteen-year career and literally thousands of shows under its collective belt, today's ROYAL CROWN REVUE is a finely tuned alchemy of jazz and jump, an elegant blend of everything from be-bop to gut-bucket blues. In addition to Nichols, Dorame, Steen, and Glass, the current lineup includes three New York jazz veterans: multi-reed wizard Jim Jedeikin, Mark Cally on guitar, and Dave Miller on bass. Here for the long haul, it should be readily apparent to anyone with an eye (and ear) for talent that ROYAL CROWN REVUE will be integrating our country's musical past long into tomorrow's musical future.

• 2004 Greetings from Hollywood ­ NEW!!! Set for release in early 2004
• 2001 Passport: Live in Australia
• 1999 Walk on Fire
• 1998 The Contender
• 1997 Caught In the Act
• 1996 Mugzy's Move
• 1991 Kings Of Gangster Bop

1. DANCE. Once people discover the exhilaration of wild, swing partner-dancing, they're not going to want to just give it up.
2. SOCIAL. Swing-dancing has become the way to meet people. Rock shows were too loud, and what else is there? (Not want ads, please!)
3. ART. Partner-dancing is a uniquely human, individualistic art form. Many people who lacked a creative outlet now have one.
4. (THE THRILL OF) DRESSING-UP. Yet another creative medium is reclaimed as people turn themselves into vintage "works of art."
5. MUSIC = HAPPINESS. With the swing movement as we nervously enter the 21st Century, people are identifying and reclaiming the best of their Twentieth Century American "roots" heritage, including a huge "new" domain of aural pleasure (classic swing songs with exceptional musicianship), no drugs required.