Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra

Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra is a Canadian lounge music and jazz band formed in Toronto. This group of about a dozen musicians, led by Bee, released eight albums of cover versions of well-known songs, reinterpreted for performance in cocktail lounges.[1]

History

The band was formed by Jaymz Bee (current host of "Jazz in the City" on CJRT-FM), following the breakup of The Look People, and were quickly offered a spot on Molly Johnson's Kumbaya Festival bill. The group's f self-titled album was released in 1995.[2]

The band's best known album was 1997's Cocktail: Shakin' and Stirred, released by BMG.[3] It featured lounge interpretations of classic Canadian rock songs, ranging from Rush, Jim Vallance[4] and Bryan Adams to Crash Test Dummies and Alanis Morissette.[5] Some of the vocalists featured on the disc were Tim Tamashiro, Frank Nevada, John Alcorn, Roger Clown, Big Rude Jake, Melleny Melody, Robbie Rox, and John Southworth.

The core of the band consisted of Bee, Jono Grant on piano and guitar, Great Bob Scott on drums, George Koller on bass, Sarah McElcheran on trumpet, Jim Bish on saxophone, flute and clarinet, Richard Underhill on alto and soprano sax and Colleen Allen on tenor sax and flute. A vast array of guest vocalists have also performed with the band, including Tia Brazda,[6] Molly Johnson, Kyree Vibrant, Monika Deol, Ed the Sock, Moxy Früvous, Greg Keelor, Albert Schultz, Sophia Perlman, and Ralph Benmergui. Many singers, such as Michael Bublé, DK Ibomeka, Serafin LaRiviere, Sophie Milman, and Lyne Tremblay, have also gone on to do their own recordings and tours since guesting with the band. Vocalists include Julie Michels, Alex Pangman, Jef "Vegas" Farquharson, Mariève Herington, Heather Bambrick and Roger Clown.

The Royal Jelly Orchestra rarely perform for the public. For the most part, the band perform at charity galas, corporate events, awards shows and big budget private parties.[7]

Discography
  • Jaymz Bee and His Royal Jelly Orchestra, 1995
  • Cocktail: Shakin' and Stirred, 1997
  • A Christmas Cocktail, 1997[8]
  • ClintEastWoodyAllenAlda, 1998
  • We'll Be Right Back With More, 1999
  • Life of the Party, 2000
  • Seriously Happy, 2004
  • Toronto Launch Pad, 2006

References
  1. "Jaymz Bee Cocktail: Shakin' & Stirred". AllMusic. Review by Chris Slawecki
  2. Peter McPhee (8 November 2009). Carnival: A Scream in High Park Reader. Insomniac Press. pp. 181–. ISBN 978-1-897414-09-5.
  3. "Reviews of the good, the bad, and the very badly dressed". Centennial College Courier, 1 August 2012. By Andrea Leiba
  4. "Jim Vallance/Jayme Bee Spaceship Superstar". jimvallance.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  5. "Turn Up That Noise: Jaymz Bee and The Royal Jelly Orchestra, Cocktail Shakin' And Stirred (BMG)". Memphis Flyer, Issue 439. J. David Williams. 17 July 1997
  6. "Jazz singer evokes music from another era". Times Colonist, 5 Jan 2016.
  7. "Royal Jelly Orchestra". Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  8. "Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra: A Christmas Cocktail". Ink19, review. 18 December 1997
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