Mississippi Swing! developed as a spin-off  volunteer big band of the non-profit Mississippi Community Symphonic Band. It's original name was the Mississippi Community Big Band but was later changed to name with a little more "attitude." The band (or small army, if you prefer) is a "sight to behold" with an average of  20-25 volunteer musicians, per performance! Amateur and professional musicians alike participate and, as a result, the band has a distinctive FAT sound with a whole lotta attitude! The band's first performance was at Christmas in Canton, in December, 2004 but the band was officially "born" in January, 2005. Since then, the group has slated over 85 performances  - our biggest performance being for an audience of over 3,000 at the Mississippi Coliseum! Never satisfied with just playing the same old thing, the band has developed quite a repertoire that now includes over 100 classic big band tunes, jazz standards, and classic pop charts ("Vehicle" anyone?). The group puts on FREE mini-concerts at Belhaven College several times during the year, along with the Mississippi Community Symphonic Band. For more info, go to www.mcsb.us. Click on "The Swing Band."  In 2009, Mississippi Swing! was awarded the Key to the City by the City of Richland for bringing big band, jazz and Dixieland music to their community.

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge!

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge!

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge!

Click on Thumbnail to Enlarge!

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge!

Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge

Pearl Library 5th Birthday! July 15, 2010

Summer Swing Party 2010

As featured on WLBT and YouTube. Click on the image links below.

MRC Walk & Roll May15, 2010

Belhaven Concert April 3, 2010

St. Dominic Christmas Party 2009

Richland Swing Dance Sept. 11, 2009

Let's dance!
Susan Marquez • Rankin Ledger Correspondent • September 5, 2009

Whether you're light on your feet, or just enjoy the sounds of the Big Band era, the place to be on Sept. 11 is the Richland Community Center for a night of swing music, socializing and ballroom dancing.

The Richland Dance Club is hosting the event. The group started in February 2002 and meets monthly.

"We have a great group of people who enjoy learning about ballroom dancing," said Fran Graves, coordinator of the group. "We are seeing more and more young people, which is great, because they're learning dance techniques they can use throughout their lives."

Graves said that plans are in the works to establish a program for young dancers in the future. The Richland Senior Adult Program is helping to sponsor the event which begins at 7pm.

"We typically have dance lessons from 6:30 to 7 p.m.," Graves said. The event on Sept. 11 will feature the Mississippi Swing Band, a 20-piece orchestra that plays classic big band music as well as more modern tunes.

"We play mostly songs from the 1930s and '40s," said bandleader David Schommer. "Folks coming to this event will enjoy tunes such as In the Mood, Satin Doll, String of Pearls, and Days of Wine and Roses. But we'll also play some tunes from the '50s and '60s as well, including some Henry Mancini and Girl from Impanema."

Schommer said the Mississippi Swing Band is made up of a group of volunteer musicians who have a love of music of the Big Band era.

"We play about 20 to 25 gigs a year, and we work strictly on donations. These dance events are new territory, and folks aren't quite sure about them. But if you plan on going to enjoy the music, you may be inclined to get out on the dance floor as well."

"You don't have to be a trained dancer to attend our events," stressed Graves, who studied ballroom dancing for eight years. "That was the best time of my life, but I haven't danced in the past couple of years due to a car accident. But I still enjoy watching others dance, and there's nothing like the music to make you feel good. The music is just wonderful!"

Professional dance instructors will be on hand to help those who don't know certain dances. Joe Piggott, who has been dancing since 1991, teaches dance on major cruise ships.

"We just did a transcontinental cruise on the Queen Mary in May," Pigott said. "We danced five to six hours a day for 14 days!" Piggott said that he'll be available to dance with anyone at the event, as well as others. "It just takes a couple of minutes to learn the basic steps, and then you'll be dancing! It's just a matter of concentration for a few minutes until your brain can tell your feet what to do. Then it will just come naturally."

Pigott said that shows like Dancing With the Stars have really increased the level of interest in ballroom dancing.

"It's great exercise and lots of fun. We don't do anything as involved as what you see on television, but we do have a lot of fun on the dance floor."

Tickets, which will be available at the door, are $10 and include refreshments donated by Sonic. "Dancers and nondancers of all ages are encouraged to attend," Graves said. "And you can come with or without a partner. Everyone's welcomed, and we guarantee everyone will have a great time!" The Richland Community Center is located behind Walmart on U.S. 49 South. For more information, contact Graves at (601) 939-2241.

St. Matthews Fundraiser July 18, 2009

Salvation Army Night at Trustmark Park -
History is Made!

On July 15th, members of The Jackson All-Stars teamed up with our beloved Mississippi Swing! for Salvation Army Night with The Mississippi Braves  at 6:00 PM for a pre-game show! This was the first performance by a 25+-piece swing band at the stadium! For the event, the band switched gears and rocked the house with Peter Gunn (The Blues Brothers), The James Bond Theme, Rock Around The Clock (Bill Haley and the Comets), Oye Como Va (Santana), Vehicle (Ides of March), Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (A big hit for Buddy Rich's Big Band), Bandstand Boogie (The Theme from American Bandstand) and a swingin version of Take Me Out to the Ballgame! For the finale, the band backed up vocalist Cary Breedlove on Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA! Soloists did an incredible job and included Jeff Reiter on lead trumpet, Anne Berthold on trumpet, Maurice Hillman on tenor, Barbara Cox on Alto, Elizabeth Koskie on keyboard and Mike Weidick on trombone. Cary Breedlove also led the crowd in Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch!

Any fan that donated one article of clothing such as a shirt, pants, suit, coat, jacket or a pair of shoes received free admission to the game! There was a huge turnout for the event! A special thanks goes to Lisa Dunn, Georgette Keenum, Marika Cackett and all those involved in this special project! Go Braves!

"The MS Swing Band is GREAT! I truly enjoyed your pre-game show. Wishing you  much success!"     
- Tammy Goss

"WOW! What a wonderful performance tonite at Trustmark Park..it just gets better and better! And to Jeff the lead trumpet player...(he) knows how to hit those high notes! EXCELLENT!!!!!"
- Roberta Byrd

"Way to go!!"
 -Greg Mitchell

"Your band is super impressive...Let me tell you I am impressed!"
- Sarah Duncan 

Stars to Attend Salvation Army Night
07/09/2009 4:58 PM ET
By Nicholas Skinner / Mississippi Braves

Pearl, MS - The Mississippi Braves announce that Wednesday, July 15th will be Salvation Army Night at Trustmark Park and any fan that donates one article of clothing will get FREE admission to the M-Braves game that night against the Huntsville Stars. As an added bonus, Cleveland Cavaliers Mo Williams, Delonte West, Darnell Jackson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Atlanta Falcon Jerious Norwood will all be in attendance Wednesday night.
The players will compete in a bell-ringer competition to see who can raise the most money for the Salvation Army. Bell ringers will be posted at all three gates at Trustmark Park. The players will be available for autographs once the game gets underway.

There will be three Salvation Army trucks and a Salvation Army canteen on site. Donations will be accepted beginning at 4 pm. However, Trustmark Park's gates will not open until 6 pm.

Daves Highway and the Lee Perry Project will both perform on the main stage inside the main gate at Trustmark Park at 6 pm. Mississippi Swing, a 25-piece swing band, will perform outside the VIP gate at Trustmark Park at 6:10 pm.

Articles of clothing such as shirts, pants, shorts, coats, jackets, suits or pairs of shoes can be donated. All donations will be welcomed as articles of clothing that are in poor condition will be recycled. Fans donating five or more items will receive a free hot dog and drink as well as a gift from the M-Braves.

The Salvation Army will be in attendance to accept donations and issue receipts for tax purposes.

For further information, contact the Mississippi Braves at 601-932-8788.


This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Mississippi Braves Game!

The Jackson All-Stars and Mississippi Swing! teamed up for an incredible show at Trustmark Park! Not shown: Bernard Holly (Bass), Lindy Harris (Drums), Elizabeth Koskie (Keyboard). Photo by Susan Mayfield.

Metropolitan Supper Club June 12, 2009

CUMC Swing Dance 2009!

Belhaven Concert March 7, 2009

Jackson Convention Center 2009

Mississippi Swing! 2004-2008

Ron Welch, Guitar

St. Dominic Hospital Christmas Party 2006

Performance for Governor Haley Barbour at the Woolfolk Building (2006)

Rob Chapman, Heath Twilley, and Wayne Miller

St. Dominic Hospital

Telecom Center (2007)

Telecom Center (2007)

Lori Blount, Vocals

David Cox, Bill Lumpkin, and John Retherford

David Schommer, Bandleader

Ben Finison, Bari Sax

Christmas in Canton (2005)

Elizabeth Koskie, Ron Welch, and Derrick Brown at Belhaven (2007)

Sam Johnson, Jeff Carter, George Murphy, Eddie Havens, Anne Berthold, and Bill Mayfield.

One of our first Belhaven Concerts! (2005)

St. Paddy's Day Parade (2007)

Our first St. Paddy's Day Parade (2006)

Belhaven Concert (2007)

John Retherford solos on trombone at one of the Belhaven Concerts.

The BIG ending!

Belhaven Concert (2007) Mark Lagrange, a good friend and well known nature photographer from New Orleans, drove up and donated his services to photograph the event...

Barbara Cox and Jim Crosthwait, Alto

Pics at the Ole Miss Game (2007)

Epilepsy Foundation 2005 - play video
Our first big gig! Under the original name of the Mississippi Community Big Band!

Do you have any idea how much stuff you can put in this thing? An entire sound system, sheet music and music stands for a 25 piece big band! Windstars rock!