The Back To Basie Orchestra - Biography

Paul Lacey’s Back to Basie Orchestra are undoubtedly the finest interpreters of the music of Count Basie, and it is the uncanny accuracy with which BtoB replicates the original scores, and the excitement it generates that clearly mark this as a very special attraction.

Jazz trumpet player Paul Lacey’s orchestra of great musicians is dedicated to
Swingin’ the blues Count Basie style. Featuring top London Session musicians and jazz soloists, Back to Basie captures the spirit of the legendary ‘Swing Machine’ and the landmark album The Atomic Mr. Basie.

Paul Lacey, described by Humphrey Lyttelton as ‘one of the most versatile trumpet players on the British Jazz scene’ created an orchestra to perpetuate Basie’s style of big band jazz – straight ahead swing with dynamics, good humour and a large dose of the blues! London has the most talented and knowledgeable big band players in the world and is the ideal base for such an orchestra.

Jacqui Hicks has been a fantastic guest vocalist for The Back To Basie. Her talent has brought in that dynamic that has given the Basie Orchestra a real sparkle when they're on stage. Read her impressive biography on this page.

A classically trained clarinettist, Jacqui Hicks studied saxophone & flute on the jazz course at Leeds College of Music and started singing during her three years there. She continued her education, still as a saxophone player, on the one year post-graduate jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Shortly after leaving the Guildhall Jacqui joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra as their vocalist and spent the next four years touring and also recording with them - including the vocal album Looking Forward Looking Back.

Since 1993 Jacqui has worked with the jazz/funk band Shakatak, both as backing vocalist and sax player. She's toured Europe and Eastern Europe, South Africa, the Far East & Japan numerous times with them and also appears on their albums Let The Piano Play, View From The City, Under Your Spell, Blue Savannah, Beautiful Day and the MOBO nominated Live At Ronnie Scotts.

Additionally, she sings three tracks of Shakatak drummer, Roger Odell's Beatifik album The Blue Window, released in 2000 and makes a guest appearance on a new compilation album called Smooth Solos - Shakatak & Friends.

Jacqui has also worked with the Latin/Pop band Matt Bianco touring Japan, Indonesia & Europe with them and appears on their albums Gran Via, Another Time:Another Place and a re-working of their greatest hits ; A Collection.

She is a featured vocalist on Paprika Soul's 2002 album Into The Light, including the single Too Much Love Makin', a track that also appears on the JazzFM CD Venice Beach.

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Under her own name she released the album Spellbound back in 2000 which was well received by the critics :

"...a beautifully crafted and controlled performance. A fine debut indeed."
Jazz Review
"...a singer of warmth, poise and intelligence whose smoky voice is a pleasure to listen to."
Yorkshire Post

As a session singer Jacqui has recorded songs for Hal David & John Cacavas, Duncan Lamont, Brian Dee and Johnny Keating, among others. She's worked on several soundtracks including the films Tomb Raider II and Veronica Guerin and appeared in a couple of Radio 4 plays for the BBC. She is currently appearing up and down the country with Paul Lacey's Back To Basie Orchestra.