Based: Cape Town

An 18-piece group comprising 5 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Spectacular singer Denay Willie fronts the band, with Richard Pickett providing the male vocals. The MCBB is the only band of its kind in the country to offer a full range of styles in the big band setting, from the 40s classics of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman to the contemporary dance music of today, as well as indigenous South African styles. The band has worked regularly with the country’s top vocal artists such as Gloria Bosman, Judith Sephuma and Melanie Scholtz, among other leading jazz and pop artists. The band is also available in a smaller formats of 12 and 8 players, with the same extensive and wide-ranging repertoire.

The MC Band / orchestra has performed at high-profile events such as the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival and Oude Libertas Summer Series, and the country’s top social functions including the Sheraton Spring Ball, Solstice Foundation Ball, Fancourt Spring Ball and Artists for AIDS Awareness.

The Mike Campbell Orchestra

40 to 50 players: Symphonic Pops, Jazz and Light Classics. The orchestra is run on an ad hoc basis, and features top professional players from various sources. The MCO has performed for the Fancourt Spring Ball, World Aids Day Concert and several commercial recording projects. A lot of energy and excitement in the group is generated as a result of using younger players with experience in both the classical and jazz/popular fields.