Every year at Canberräng we aim to provide you with a truly unforgettable four days of social dancing. This year we’re proud to present a talented line-up of international and domestic musicians and DJs!
LIAM BUDGE (CANBERRA)
Liam Budge will kick things off Friday night. We first had Liam play for us back in 2014. At the time he was making his mark on the Canberra Jazz scene. Once the Lindy Hop scene discovered him, we couldn’t get enough. An award-winning Jazz Vocalist based in Canberra, Australia. Since releasing his debut jazz album to critical acclaim, Liam has continued to establish himself as one of Australia’s leading vocalists. In 2014 Liam relocated to New York City where he performed on many of New York’s finest stages including Blue Note Jazz Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall. Liam has worked with some of the world’s leading jazz musicians included James Morrison, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Kris Bowers and has studied under Grammy-Winning Jazz Vocalist Kurt Elling. We are excited to have Liam back. In high demand, we are delighted to have locked him in with a talented line up of local musicians we all know and love.
HETTY KATE (FR)
Hetty Kate is one hell of a jazz vocalist who sure knows how to sing for swing dancers. She exudes an easy confidence and infectious energy that makes her an in-demand, consummate entertainer with a voice that perfectly captures the style of the era.
Raised in both Australia and England, Hetty has built an impressive career and is currently based in Paris, France. She has graced stages both large and small all over the world, appearing at premier jazz festivals and teaming up with Australian jazz great James Morrison, ABC Jazz/Universal Music, the Keystone Big Band (FR), recently sang with the Hot Sugar Band, as well as incredible pianist Gordon Webster and his band (introduced at Canberräng for the first time, they went on to publish and album together).
We know you’ll fall in love with Hetty’s pure tone, faultless rhythm and swingin’ musicality. She’s long been the darling of lindy hop scenes across Australia, Asia and Europe, and her gorgeous vocals, charming stage presence and witty banter always take dance events to the next level.
Since her last Canberräng appearance in 2019 with Adrian Cunningham, we are thrilled to have her back on our shores for Canberräng 2022. You can catch Hetty for a double dose on Saturday at the Winery and Sunday at Queenies from 12pm.
ANDREW DICKESON BLUE RHYTHM BAND (SYDNEY)
Andrew Dickeson and his Blue Rhythm Band is a band for dancers. They do what Basie did. They play 4 solid beats to the bar and no cheating. Sydney lindy hoppers were looking for a band leader with one foot firmly in the Savoy Ballroom, and the other setting down a steady beat. Andrew Dickeson had a group of musicians who wanted to play for audiences who could dig what they were putting down.
Andrew has been playing for Lindy Hoppers around Australia for a number of years. Brad Childs the saxophonist is incredible and will knock your swinging little socks off. No stranger to Canberräng, Andrew and his band round out this incredible line up of crazy good musicians.
DJ Sarah
DJ Sarah is thrilled to be joining the DJ line up at this year’s Canberrang.
If you don’t know Sarah yet, you have certainly missed out on some pretty incredible Dj-ing, MC-ing and dress-up shenanigans. Sarah is well known by her home scene of Melbourne for being quite the character, and interstaters are always excited to see her on the line-up of events. You may have seen her DJ at some of the most popular socials in Melbourne, and she has made quite the impression on all of us with her magical MC-ing skills at All the Cats Join In.
Sarah has been one of the leader of the Melbourne dance scene for quite a while, and she is super excited to make us dance to some sweet jazz tunes all night long.
DJ Merilyn
DJ Merilyn is excited to join the Canberrang team for the first time. This has long been her favourite Australian event because it’s all about social dancing. She began DJing because she wanted to give back to this beautiful community of ours, and loves to see the dance floor fill up when an old favourite song comes on. When she’s not dancing, Merilyn enjoys a good cocktail and chat with friends, and you’re also sure to fall in love with her beautiful smile and friendly attitude.
Merilyn has been DJing for swing dancers for a little while, and you might even have danced to her sweet tunes at the Sydney Swing Festival, Jazz Bang, SBOSS and other socials. Merilyn loves *anything* sung by Ella Fitzgerald. “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home” is one of her favourites because “its cheeky, swings so hard, and is endlessly danceable”.
DJ Adam
Adam is a Canberra local, who has a love for swing era jazz music. He believes that seriously good music makes seriously good dancing. He enjoys catchy riffs and a solid rhythm section. Adam has grown a deeper appreciation for the roots of the music through his vinyl record collecting. You can often find Adam DJing his favourites which include Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Illinois Jacquet.
When Adam isn’t DJing, he’s likely training or performing with the Jumptown Jammers!
DJ Richard
Richard Arnett had had his first DJ experience at an end of year party in Canberra several years ago. Nervous at DJing for a ‘big’ event, he was shaking instead of dragging and dropping, triggering songs that were to be played later that evening in the middle of songs people were already dancing to. He quickly found out that sampling swing music in that way is not something that brings out the best styling in dancers!
Moving onwards and upwards, Richard quickly honed his skills and is now a regular amongst Canberra’s talented DJs. He has a knack for keeping the social dance floor jumping, wit DJ appearances at Canberräng 2018 and the Jumptown Jam 2018. As a dancer with a fondness for interesting melodies and quirky lyrics, Richard will play you songs that will bring out your best musicality and theatrical moves. Keep an ear out for his thoughtful and creative sets!
DJ Jocelyn
Jocelyn has been DJing swing tunes to herself ever since childhood once she learnt how to use the family record player and discovered Benny Goodman/Gene Krupa’s ‘Sing sing sing’ on an old LP at the back of the record box. In spite of this early promise Jocelyn was a latecomer to the realisation she could dance to this amazing music, and even later to DJ for an audience greater than 1. But since 2018 she has been steadily building up her tunes library and overcoming her technophobic tendencies in order to swing the sound desk whenever the opportunity arises.
Jocelyn aims to keep your ears fresh with a mix of lyrical melodies, virtuosic solos, tight orchestrations and even the occasional classic riff given the swing treatment, and wants to keep you swinging all night long. This is Jocelyn’s first time DJing at Canberrang and she can’t hardly wait!