Swingin’ Affair started life as a Manchester Music Service band. A place where young musicians could put their lessons into practice and come together to perform.
The band started under the leadership of Johnnie Lawton. A Trumpet player and teacher. Johnnie was an ex member of the N.D.O (Northern Dance Orchestra) and a founding member of The Syd Lawrence Orchestra to name a few. 
The band played Johnnies own arrangements, many a simplified version of N.D.O. arrangements and many arranged specifically for individual players strengths, even today you will find some numbers in the pad that just say a players name on the top rather than Trumpet 1 or 2 etc….
Johnnie being a trumpet teacher, the band has never really been short of trumpet players, however Johnnie was not a woodwind player and so enlisted the help of fellow teacher George Gallway and the Clarinet, Flute and Saxophone sections were sorted.
After Johnnies Death another colleague John Bellares took over the leadership. After John became ill Johnnie’s former student Ian Cottrell took up the baton.
The band now play a combination of arrangements by all three bandleaders and any arrangement that takes their fancy from any other arranger.
The band have progressed a lot from those early days almost 40 years ago and are now taking on Professional Level arrangements.
The band have now performed in France and Germany and have produced our first CD. CD’s are available to buy at concerts and mail order. Drop us an email for details.