Presenting Australian star of stage and screen, Tom Burlinson, in a sensational salute to the masters of vocal Swing. This dazzling, energetic show presents a montage of swing classics made famous by the great superstars Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr, Nat ‘King' Cole, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra, through to the hits of the hugely successful modern favourites - Harry Connick Jr and Michael Bublé.
Tom’s illustrious career stretches from acting and singing to television host and theatrical producer. He first shot to stardom in the early ‘80s when he was cast in the title role in the movie The Man from Snowy River, which became one of the most successful Australian films ever made. This led to a string of starring roles in Australian and international films.
In the ‘90’s, Tom revealed that as well as being a talented actor, he also had an amazing singing voice. He was cast by Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Tina in his first professional singing engagement as the voice of the young Frank in the Warner Brothers mini-series ‘Sinatra’. Later Tom created and starred in the acclaimed theatrical production ‘Frank – A Life in Song’, a celebration of the life and career of the legendary Sinatra, which played highly successful seasons at premier venues around Australia and overseas.
Now he has explored the renowned achievements of other stars of the genre and chosen their best songs to perform, as well as some Sinatra classics and timeless “standards” in “Still Swingin’”. This show truly has one great song after another! He has included classics from the great Tony Bennett, who was Sinatra’s favourite singer; the smooth and jazzy Nat ‘King’ Cole, the multi-talented, highly- energised Sammy Davis Jr, the “King of Cool” Dean Martin, and the sensational Bobby Darin. Tom says his show would not be complete without a selection of Sinatra songs. “Many people who come to see the show will be expecting to hear some Sinatra. For me, he was the greatest of them all, but that’s not to say they weren’t all great.” Throughout the show Tom has included all-time favourites such as I’ve Got the World on a String, Fly Me to the Moon, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, and, of course, New York, New York.
Vocal swing has become popular once again due to the immense popularity and success of artists such as Harry Connick Jr and Michael Bublé, who have added their own spin to some of the greatest swing songs. “If you like these artists, I’m confident that you will like what I’m doing in this show. I’ve found that younger audiences often don’t realise that many of these songs were originally written and performed back in the ‘40s and ‘50s. I like to set the record straight and make sure the audience knows by whom they were originally done. There’s no doubt Bublé is a huge fan of Sinatra and there’s also no doubt that Sinatra would love to know that a younger audience still loves his songs.”
The song list for the show is a feast of swing classics, including Just in Time, Beyond the Sea, L-O-V-E, Birth of the Blues, Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?, It Had to be You, Sway, Feeling Good and Mack the Knife. Also included are beautiful slower tempo numbers such as Unforgettable, The Shadow of Your Smile, Everybody Loves Somebody and Mr. Bojangles. Most of the musical arrangements in the show are based on the originals, providing instant recognition for fans of the style. Accompanying Tom on stage as always will be a fabulous jazz band including some of Australia’s best musicians.
Presented by Downunder Promotions