The story of the band

The band idea started in 2012 when Rapha and Mao first met at the Old Duke and decided to mix up their musical experiences and lives.

A few months later, the band IMMIGRANT SWING was born, with Tomaso Azara, a classical Tuba player from Sardinia, Tom Parry, an Irish clarinet player and Mattia Collu, the drummer just arrived in Bristol from Sardinia.

The band members build up together their sounds in an experimental way, in the studios but also through jams, busking and "charitable" concerts.

People will remember the first concerts in All Hallows Hall, a community space renovated by artisans and artists (December 2012); at the University College, UWE; at the Bear Peat for the PRSC in May and November 2013.

The Old Duke became for the band a sort of "spiritual house".

By the end of 2013, the band had already become very popular.

In 2014 Helen Jenner, an Irish flautist, joined the band.

The summer season brought the band to play at important festivals, such as Bristol Harbourside, Bestival, Mount Pleasant, etc

The years 2015 and 2016 were very creative and innovative for the band.

Early in the year 2015 Annalise Lam, a British classic violin player of Chinese origin, joined the group.

In autumn, Tomaso Azara was replaced by Federico Leonori, a classical and jazz musician from Rome, playing the double bass.

The open jam session organised weekly at the Rope Walk became for the band a new ground for experimentation.

The band became very popular nationwide, participating in many important festivals such as Harbourside, Bestival, Hootananny, Volksfest, Richmix London, Meatopia, Little big Gig Festival, Cornwall, etc.

Their first album, FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS, was launched on the 5th of November 2016, at Mr Wolfs.

On the 12th of April 2017 the Immigrant Swing Band performed at the Glastonbury FM, Gladio Radio.

An important interview was released on that occasion.