Mace Francis Plus 11

This new 12-piece band (Mace Francis Plus 11) has been put together to play fun swinging jazz tunes that I have composed and arranged over the last year while in lock down and with limited performance opportunities. These tunes don’t really fit in with the modern big band aesthetic of my 14-piece Mace Francis Orchestra (MFO) so I decided to start this new project. I love all styles of big band music from Count Basie and Bill Holman through to modern composers like Ed Partyka and Brian Krock. My tastes vary and this is something different to what I normally do and I hope you will dig it.

The idea for this project came from a Japanese friend, who asked me “Why do you only write sad songs? Are you sad?” Good question (thank you Yoko)… I do love the sound of dark rich harmony and sad melodies: they make me happy… but so do fun swingin’ tunes with great soloists, like the musicians on this album! Check out this line up:

Vocals: Lucy Iffla
Saxes: Gemma Farrell, Jayden Blockley, Jemima Mills
Trumpets: Marty Pervan, Ricki Malet
French Horn: Tahlia Denn
Trombones: Steve Bickley, Mace Francis
Piano: Harry Mitchell
Bass: Alistair Peel
Drums: Bronton Ainsworth