Swingtips

The Swingtips, is a band formed in 1995 from Phoenix, Arizona. Credited as "one of the earlier riders of the swing band revival" and an influential part of the swing revival movement in general, the Swingtips was founded by Kregg Barentine, who toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1993-1994, and by Paul Maranto, a Phoenix dance instructor and guitar player. Originally called "The Wingtips", the band changed its name to the Swingtips and within the first year, co-founder, Paul Maranto, left the band. Barentine's original compositions helped define the era with such notable songs as "Checkbook Daddy-O", "The Business End Of The Barrel", "Let's Play Some Ball", "Santa Swings", "Roswell", and "Sam The Clam", many of which appeared on numerous CD compilations during the late 1990s and well into 2000.
History
Barentine wrote the song, "Let's Play Some Ball" with the Arizona Diamondbacks in mind and the song was premiered on stage with Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo in 1997 at the Herberger Theater for the Herberger Headliners fundraiser, benefitting the theater and the newly created baseball team. The Swingtips "Let's Play Some Ball" resonated with other baseball related teams and events. The band was invited to play for the 60th Anniversary of the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and also gave a concert in 1999 to the NY Mets baseball fans from home plate at the historic Shea Stadium originally located in the New York City borough of Queens in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The band was selected to perform for the 1st and 7th games of the historic Major League Baseball 2001 World Series and continues to perform for baseball related events wearing their trademark Babe Ruth era designed band uniforms.
The Swingtips became a regular performing act at the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney's BoardWalk Resort at Disney World in Orlando, Florida during the years 1997-2001. Also during this time, the band began to experiment with their music. Their third studio album, Roswell, was a departure from the band's traditional swing and Latin jazz and incorporated modern elements to include digital and analog synthesizers and rhythmic loops. The approach yielded an eclectic album that built a cult following with remakes of Disney's Haunted Mansion "Grim Grinning Ghosts", Star Wars "Cantina Band", "James Bond Theme", and originals like "Roswell" and "Sam The Clam", which earned Barentine songwriting awards in both the 2007 International Songwriting Competition and 2007 Great American Songwriting Contest.
The Swingtips music is included in film and television in Spain... on the road Again starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Mario Batali, Queen Latifah's The Perfect Holiday (Sony Pictures), WB Roswell, HBO's Cathouse: The Series, Cartoon Network,
* Next Generation Swing (Beast/Simitar, 1998)
* Diamond Cuts: Turning Two (Hungry for Music, 1998)
* Swingin' Christmas (Royalty/Wasabi, 1998)
* Next Generation Swing Vol.2 (Beast/Simitar Entertainment 1999)
* We're Swingin' (Metacom, 1999)
* A Yuletide Dance (WRD Worldwide, 1999)
* Did Somebody Say Swing? (Ripe Productions, 1999)
* Roswell (Ghost Note, 2000)
* A Harry & David Christmas (Universal, 2002)
* Swingtips Live (Ghost Note, 2003)
* Loco En La Cabesa (Ghost Note, 2008)

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu