Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra is a Canadian lounge music and jazz band formed in Toronto. This group of about a dozen musicians, led by Bee (whose real name is James Doyle) released eight albums of cover versions of well-known songs, reinterpreted for performance in cocktail lounges.[1]

History

The band was formed by Jaymz Bee (current host of "Jazz in the City" on CJRT-FM), following the breakup of The Look People, and were quickly offered a spot on Molly Johnson's Kumbaya Festival bill. The group's f self-titled album was released in 1995.[2]

The band's best known album was 1997's Cocktail: Shakin' and Stirred, released by BMG.[3][4] It featured lounge interpretations of classic Canadian rock songs, ranging from Rush, Jim Vallance[5] and Bryan Adams to Crash Test Dummies and Alanis Morissette.[6] Some of the vocalists featured on the disc were Tim Tamashiro, Frank Nevada, John Alcorn, Roger Clown, Big Rude Jake, Melleny Melody, Robbie Rox, and John Southworth.

The core of the band consisted of Bee, Jono Grant on piano and guitar, Great Bob Scott on drums, George Koller on bass, Sarah McElcheran on trumpet, Jim Bish on saxophone, flute and clarinet, Richard Underhill on alto and soprano sax and Colleen Allen on tenor sax and flute. A vast array of guest vocalists have also performed with the band, including Tia Brazda,[7] Molly Johnson, Kyree Vibrant, Monika Deol, Ed the Sock, Moxy Früvous, Greg Keelor, Albert Schultz, Sophia Perlman, and Ralph Benmergui. Many singers, such as Michael Bublé, DK Ibomeka, Serafin LaRiviere, Sophie Milman, and Lyne Tremblay, have also gone on to do their own recordings and tours since guesting with the band. Vocalists include Julie Michels, Alex Pangman, Jef "Vegas" Farquharson, Mariève Herington, Heather Bambrick and Roger Clown.

The Royal Jelly Orchestra rarely perform for the public. For the most part, the band perform at charity galas, corporate events, awards shows and big budget private parties.[8]

In 2002, Bee released the album Sub Urban under the name Jaymz Bee and the Deep Lounge Coalition. On vocals were Steve Anthony, Jef Farquharson, Big Rude Jake, Peter Kent, Melissa McClelland, Clay Tyson and Dave Wall.[9]

Discography

  • Jaymz Bee and His Royal Jelly Orchestra, Nepotism Records 1995[10]
  • Jaymz Bee! "The King Of Cocktail", split with Tim Tamashiro. BMG Special Projects for Smirnoff Vodka 1996.[11]
  • Cocktail: Shakin' and Stirred, 1997
  • A Christmas Cocktail, 1997[12][13]
  • ClintEastWoodyAllenAlda, Independent 1997. Re-released by Leisure Lab/BMG.[14]
  • We'll Be Right Back With More, 1999
  • Life of the Party, 2000[15]
  • Sub Urban, Jaymz Bee and the Deep Lounge Coalition, Oglio Records 2002
  • Seriously Happy, 2004
  • Toronto Launch Pad, 2006


References

  1. ↑ "Jaymz Bee Cocktail: Shakin' & Stirred". AllMusic. Review by Chris Slawecki
  2. ↑ Peter McPhee (8 November 2009). Carnival: A Scream in High Park Reader. Insomniac Press. pp. 181–. ISBN 978-1-897414-09-5.
  3. ↑ "Amazon Customer Review". amazon.ca. Amazon. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Reviews of the good, the bad, and the very badly dressed". Centennial College Courier, 1 August 2012. By Andrea Leiba
  5. ↑ "Jim Vallance/Jayme Bee Spaceship Superstar". jimvallance.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "Turn Up That Noise: Jaymz Bee and The Royal Jelly Orchestra, Cocktail Shakin' And Stirred (BMG)". Memphis Flyer, Issue 439. J. David Williams. 17 July 1997
  7. ↑ "Jazz singer evokes music from another era". Times Colonist, 5 Jan 2016.
  8. ↑ "Royal Jelly Orchestra". Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Torreano, Bradley. "Jaymz Bee Sub Urban". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "Jaymz Bee & The Royal Jelly Orchestra – Jaymz Bee And His Royal Jelly Orchestra". discogs.com. Discogs. 27 October 1995. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Jaymz Bee! "The King Of Cocktail" – Smirnoff Lounge Sampler". discogs.com. Discogs. 7 December 1996. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra: A Christmas Cocktail". Ink19, review. 18 December 1997
  13. ↑ Parisien, Roch. "Jaymz Bee A Christmas Cocktail". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  14. ↑ Ladano, Mike (18 March 2015). "REVIEW: Jaymz Bee & the Royal Jelly Orchestra – ClintEastWoodyAllenAlda (1997)". mikeladano.com. Mike Ladano. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "Jaymz Bee Featuring The Royal Jelly Orchestra – Life Of The Party". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
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