BAND BIO,


The band was formed in leeds, uk in 2011 to BE A professional and adaptable ‘ROOTS MUSIC’ STYLE BAND FOR ALL OCCASIONS.

LCS play 1920s, 30s, 40s & 50s blues, swing, hokum, early jazz, jive aS WELL AS the jump-blues sounds that inspired AND LATER became rock & roll.

WITH vintage CLOTHING and era correct instruments WE love to bring thE OLDEN DAYS to life by playing Well known and much loved songs from the era.

Songs like; Shake rattle and roll, minnie the moocher and sweet Home chicago.

INSPIRATIONAL artists include; 

  • Louis Armstrong, 
  • Robert Johnson, 
  • Hank Williams, 
  • Louis Jordan, 
  • ELVIS,
  • Tampa Red, 
  • cab calloway, 
  • Blind Boy Fuller, 
  • Elmore James, 
  • BILL MONROE,
  • Billie Holliday, 
  • JOHNNY CASH,
  • duke ellington, 
  • MEMPHIS MINNIE,
  • DJANGO REINHARDT, 
  • Jimmie Rodgers 

as well as MODERN artists that bring old-time music to life like; CW STONEKING, Pokey lafarge and old crow medicine show.

Since 2011, great MUSICIANS have come through this PROFESSIONAL and hard working band and we have ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE ABILITY TO PLAY A WIDE range of shows and private eventS including;

  • The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, 
  • THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW, 
  • RHYTHM RIOT, 
  • Retro Fest, 
  • Upton Jazz Festival, 
  • Beauvais Blues Festival, 
  • the FOOD FESTIVAL LTD, 
  • Marsden Jazz Festival, 
  • THE FESTIVAL of vintage, 
  • THE Green Note LONDON, 
  • Iford Manor Jazz, 
  • Zefferellis, 
  • east lancashire railway 1940s EVENT, 
  • Domino Club LEEDS, 
  • TRAMLINES FESTIVAL,
  • THE KEIGHLEY AND WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY BEER FESTIVAL, 
  • DARLINGTON BLUES FESTIVAL…

We’ve also had much fun playing;

  • private events like weddings AND birthday parties (18 - 90).
  • dance events (lindyhop, jive, stroll, charleston, bop and balboa).
  • corPorate functions for clients such as the HARD ROCK CAFE, KPMG, SALT BREWERY, national railway museum and THE IVY.

we STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE bring something DIFFERENT, fun and INTERESTING to everywhere we play.


band MEMBERS;

Martyn Roper;

Guitars, vocals, harmonica & kazoo.

Martyn is a professional musician since 2011. He also plays solo (as a seated one man band) and with acclaimed hokum duo; The Washboard Resonators. Regarded as an expert on resonator guitars, he also teaches blues music and history through YouTube.


John Arnesen;

Drums, washboard & vocals.

A full time drummer and alumni of Leeds College of Music with a degree in jazz drumming, he also plays in The Big Easy and globe TROTTING jazz supergroup The Ancient Infinity Orchestra amongst OTHERS. He joined LCS in 2018.


Hugh Bradley;

Double bass and vocals.

A bass player (and wine aficionado with Chez Vin merchants in Otley), Hugh has studied bass with world famous Danny Thompson. He toured extensively with Whiskey Priests among others and now splits his musical time between bluegrass jam sessions, LCS and the folk troubadour (AND LEGEND) Steve Tilston. He joined in 2023.
 
like all blues and jazz bands, On occasion we need to bring in dep musicians to cover holidays, sickness or prior gigs. The dep musicians know the set inside out and allow every show to BE fulfilled.

OUR first call DEP double bass player IS IAN WHO was in LCS 2017-23.

on drums and washboard we call FIRST on billy (previously a musical director of ‘Stomp!’ the musical who first depped with us in 2017).


FAQs FOR PEOPLE BOOKING US:

WHAT MUSIC DO you PLAY?

ALL GENUINE VINTAGE ‘STANDARDS.’

TYPICALLY WE DO 2x45 MINS BUT OF COURSE THIS CAN BE CUSTOMISED AS NEEDED.

We run a ‘party set’ (ALL UPTEMPO VINTAGE FLOOR FILLING bangers) and a ‘regular gig set’ (WITH some slower and more OBSCURE AND esoteric songs) DEPENDING ON WHERE WE PLAY. 

IF YOU COME TO A REGULAR SHOW TO CHECK US OUT THEN A GOOD FEW SONGS WE DO WILL BE JETTISONED AT A PARTY FOR SONGS THAT KEEP THE ATMOSPHERE FUN AND LIGHT ('ST JAMES INFIRMARy' FOR EXAMPLE).

DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE anything?

NO. We have EVERYTHING TO MAKE IT WORK (PLUS SPARES!) 

WE HAVE a range of full pa and lighting As needed FOR DIFFERENT SIZE VENUES INCLUDING SOME SWEET VINTAGE BACKGROUND MUSIC WHEN NOT PLAYING.

HECK! SOMETIMES WE ALSO PROVIDE PA RENTAL. COULD BE BEFORE OUR SET FOR SPEECHES AND WE CAN STAY LATER SO YOUR DJ FRIEND OR EVEN YOUR IPAD PLAYLIST CAN BOOM INTO THE WEEEE SMALL HOURS.

HOW DO WE BOOK?

WE DO A BOOKING FORM AND TAKE A SMALL DEPOSIT ON PRIVATE EVENTS. ONCE PEOPLE ARE SURE IT's VERy EASY AND ALLOWS BOTH SIDES TO FEEL SAFE WITH AGREEMENTS IN WRITING.
 
WE WANT YOU BUT OUR VENUE IS TALKING OF INSURANCE AND CERTIFICATED TESTED ELECTRONICS?

WE HAVE PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE TO £5 million and P.A.T. Tested equipment. EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR A VENUES INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS TO WORK.

FYI: it TAKES AROUND AN HOUR TO LOAD IN, SETUP AND SOUNDCHECK when doing a bigger venue which may need everything to go through the pa system WITH THE BIGGER LIGHTING RIG. WE LOVE TO DO A TWO HOUR PRIOR ARRIVAL AS A MINIMUM AS IT GIVES TIME TO SET UP AND GET CHANGED ETC.

So…

DO EMAIL US OR MESSAGE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TO ASK QUESTIONS OR EVEN ARRANGE A PHONE CALL TO CHAT IT OVER.

WE OFTEN HELP CLIENTS PLAN THEIR EVENTS AS WE HAVE PLAYED EVERY CONCEIVABLE EVENT AND SET UP.

We genuiNely strive to help people as our living depends upon being good AT MAKING A FUN ATMOSPHERE and being ABLE TO MAKE SURE EVENTS GO TO PLAN.

WE’RE SURE THAT WE CAN EITHER ADVISE YOU OR UNDERSTAND YOUR Needs TO THEN GET YOU THE PERFECT FIT FOR VINTAGE MUSIC AT YOUR EVENT.