Royal Society Jazz Orchestra

I am a wedding planner in the SF Bay area and I had the pleasure of working with the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra at a wedding yesterday. I was so pleased with their performance! They were professional and lively and sounded great! I was also super impressed that they played a song along with the bride and groom (the bride and groom actually wrote the song)! I also appreciated that they kept to the schedule but were also flexible with the few slight changes we had. I will most definitely refer them to my future clients who are looking for an excellent Jazz/​swing band!

As an avid partner dance enthusiast, I’ve been dancing to the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra (RSJO) for many years and am thrilled to review them here to spread the joy of their musicality and professionalism. I began producing dance events in the Bay Area featuring the RSJO to the delight of many who filled the dance floor. The Orchestra has graced most ballrooms that the Bay Area has to offer, including far and wide throughout the land.
On October 11, 2014, I had the pleasure of hosting the grand opening of the Presidio Officer’s Club in San Francisco and RSJO headlined. The audience of 400+ listeners and dancers filled the Moraga Ballroom with unstoppable toe tapping and DANCING to rhythms of Swing, Fox Trot, Rumba, Tango and Waltz.
The sea of smiles was infectious.
Carla Normand’s vocals are in sync with the era of her focus. Her presence is divine and backed by 10 superb musicians with Maestro Don Neely at the helm.
Standing O !
If you are looking for pros to play for your next event or party, I would highly recommend giving them a call. You’ll be thrilled you did. If you know the RSJO will be playing a public event, I’d suggest going and hear it live.
The best live ensemble of music in the Bay Area and beyond when it comes to music of the 20s, 30s and 40s. Their recordings are in my collection and I highly recommend adding RSJO to your library.

This band plays authentic music of the 1920’s and 30’s, with several star quality vocalists, and fine jazz soloists. Original arrangements, as well as new music usually written by the bandleader, are performed. One of the first bands to revive 1930’s swing anywhere, its version of pioneer Benny Moten’s «Moten Swing» is spot on. While there are many opportunities to hear combos and improvisation, the RSJO adds charted music, which had previously only been available on 78 rpm records.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra perform, at the opening of the newly renovated Officers Club in the Presideo.
The band was was superb, playing 20s and 30s numbers, and the vocalist Carla Normand, (whom I was lucky to meet in person) sang wonderfully.
All together a great evening of song and dance, and I look forward to seeing, and hearing the RSJO playing again, brilliant!

When I first experienced this orchestra at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee way back in the 90’s I wanted very badly to see an entire show, rather than the 45 minute Jubilee gig. Last Saturday night I finally got the chance… uh, unfortunately, about 15 years too late. Whether it was the venue, the marvelously restored El Campanil Theater, in Antioch CA, or merely the passage of time it was pretty apparent that time has not been kind. The orchestra seemed tired and much too staccato for my tastes, and the singer, Ms. Carla Normand, reminded me of the hippie Leigh French, from the old Smothers Brothers TV show. Also,.the guy who emceed the whole night was a distraction who added nothing to the tired performance. In essence, this performance actually made me wish I were at one of El Campanil’s trademark «tribute band» shows. I was very disappointed by this performqnce and feel like new life needs to be breathed into the orchestra