Marty Crapper is a live wire. He isn't afraid to shed his opinions and certainly isn't afraid to get wild and crazy in front of an audience while fronting his band, King of the Swingers with his good friends Dawson, Steve and Stu. He is a local councillor as well, he is really not afraid to put himself out there! Head to The Cove Inn, Westport, for a Dixieland celebration Friday, August 2 as King of the Swingers perform live from 5-8 pm. Details here: web link

Seamus Cowan: Marty, you have an intrinsic fire that burns strong when you hit the streets or the stage with your lively group, King of the Swingers! I've had the pleasure of knowing you for a long time and have enjoyed your performances! Where do you find that energy?

Marty Crapper: The band's energy comes from the combination of being in front of an audience and being confident in what we are playing and singing. Personally, I am an extrovert and I enjoy a crowd but 20 years of playing shows that always seem to "work" makes it a very exciting thing to do. People consistently love what we do and that feedback gives us all a rush -which is where the fun comes from. It’s awesome.

Q: King of the Swingers is a vivacious, off-the-cuff, comical Dixieland act that engages crowds. As a lead performer in the band, you play banjo but you are also a bass player. What made you get into the tenor banjo? They are somewhat complementary instruments!

Marty: Ya! I have always been a bass player, both electric and upright. Tenor banjo was my dad's instrument- he is a pro… he played it to us as little kids and there is a feel and sound to it that is captivating… it’s all about rhythm. The tenor was a substitute for drums in the old dixie bands so when I play tenor banjo I am still part of the rhythm section which is where I like to be. Dad gave me his beautiful tenor this year and I am really proud to be playing it in the band. What a sound! Dawson is a great bass player and I love listening to him play.

Q: There must be some story behind putting this band together. It's not every day that people do what you are doing and I commend you for it! It's nostalgic, entertaining and artistically satisfying!

Stu and I were playing with both my dad and his dad in a Dixieland band called "Dudes of Dixieland" for 5 or 6 years, 20 years ago. We recognized that people of all ages just love that style of music. So when the old guys retired, I learned the tenor banjo and we took it on… warping away from traditional Dixie to what we do now… whatever that is! We aim to make every song upbeat and fun and our instrumentation… .clarinet, upright, banjo and accordion/Caixia drum give a unique feel to the tunes we select. Solid harmonies don't hurt either. I think that clarinet is the key… and Steve is great.

Q: I appreciate your musical taste as I have a lot of the same. It's very random how I got into jazz and experimental music - basically a chance encounter leading to an influence. How did it all happen for you? I'm sure you had some fun bands back in the day!

As a kid I was all about fusion… Herbie Hancock, Jaco, Miles, Pat Metheny… all the same stuff as you for sure… bass and rhythm. As a performer, I learned early to find things that work for an audience… make it more about the performance than about anything else. As an example, I never thought I liked 50's music but played for 20 years in Buddy Holly Live with Stu and Dave Bull… and LOVED every minute of it… because it just totally worked for the audience and people left every show thrilled to have been part of it. I have also learned that what people see is as important as what they hear. We always look like we are having the time of our life and people always comment on that. A great musician who looks uninspired will not inspire… I just made that up.

Q: As far as I can tell, you are all close friends in King of the Swingers and I'm sure you will continue to swing along with them for a long while. Any wild future plans for the band in any shape or form?

Yes indeed, another secret to success is to play with your pals. We are all great friends who really enjoy the time we spend together. After virtually every gig we look at each other and say "that was a blast… when's the next show"? No major plans… we all have other musical things on the go but King of the Swingers will carry on until it's not fun anymore. We could be pretty old by then! Posted: Jul 30, 2024 Originally Published: Jul 27, 2024