Swing Out Sister

UK duo Swing Out Sister originally intended to tour the States back in 2012 when its debut, It’s Better to Travel, was reissued to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary. But that tour was scrapped when an Icelandic volcano explosion made travel impossible. That album took off in the clubs and established the group as a heady dance act. Singer Corinne Drewery says the band’s early sound — a mix of house music and jazz — was partially a product of the times. “Back then, there were a lot of bands that had been influenced by fusion and jazz in general,” says Drewery. “Jazz wasn’t an outcast in the pop world. People were buying old records and they were available in all the thrift stores. We made the most of the previous generation’s cast offs.” The band’s music has since evolved as it recorded a singer-songwriter album and has been working on a big band album. For this tour, a 7-piece band will back Drewery and keyboardist Andy Connell, the guy who initially founded the band nearly 30 years ago. (Jeff Niesel)