Eddie Reed (5)

Eddie Reed reminds audiences of all ages that traditional swing from the '30s to the '50s is alive and prospering in nightclubs and cabarets across the country. The band, which performs a full range of big hits and rare pieces found only on gramophone records, is marked by its energy and high quality musicianship. The band recently opened for Ray Charles at the Long Beach Convention Center. Dont forget to mark you calendars, this is a band you have to see. Eddie Reed, the group's crooner and band leader, plays guitar, piano, and clarinet. At 38, he has developed one of the country's leading swing quintets, featuring members who harness the spirit of their youth to deliver a vibrant and titillating range of songs, from upbeat dance numbers to dreamy-eyed ballads. Eddie began his career at age 9, propelled into the music business by his father, famous opera-singer Clayton Ivey. Before making his transition to swing, Eddie was a rock-a-billy artist, recording with The Bluehearts for Capitol Records. He later recorded and toured with rock-a-billy great Lee Allen. Eddie has also shared the stage with such notables as the Inkspots, James Harman, The Mighty Flyers, The Blasters, Paladins and The Red Devils. As a swing musician, he has performed with Anita O'Day, Artie Shaw and Helen Forrest.