George Whitesell & His All Stars With Jill Watkins Swing Band from Colorado Springs, CO

George Whitesell & His All Stars featuring Jill Watkins is a crowd pleasing band for any occasion. Wheather dancing to the swing numbers, toe tapping to the blues or just enjoying the show, this band has something for everyone. Please read the comments and view our performance history. What people are saying: "As always, George Whitesell and his All Stars, featuring Jill Watkins, once again proved why they are one of the premier bands in Colorado. They performed at the Greeley Blues Jam festival on June 13th and rocked the house! Offering something for everyone-- horns, vocals, guitar, swing, blues--they can do it all!! And with extra style and showmanship!" Pam Bricker, Chairperson Greeley Blues Jam 2009 "The 7th Annual Manitou Springs Wine Festival was a huge success. George Whitesell and His All Stars Featuring Jill Watkins made their second appearance and were a mid afternoon crowd pleaser. George and his band were outstanding as always. I had dozens of attendees telling me I had to bring them back again next year and and I certainly will. They are just the best” Floyd O’Neil, Special Events Coordinator Manitou Wine Festival 2009 "Although jazz is again on the decline in the ..Pikes Peak.. region, if one looks around, there is jazz to be heard. Most local jazz fans are familiar with the Whitesell group, which now has a reputation of being a blues band. Actually it is more then that. It is more of what we used to call, in my youth (so long ago) a “Jump band.” They play a very high-energy form of music, mainly based on the blues chord changes, but far more “up” than most blues bands......George’s band has much the same quality of humor, high energy and swing of that era. Jill Watkins is the icing on the cake......Even after the energetic performance of the band, she brought the house down each time she came on stage. If you want to get your heart rate up and your juices flowing, go to a George Whitesell All-Star band performance!" By Bob Simon-Founder, Pikes Peak Jazz & Swing Society “Topping off the day with panache were George Whitesell and His All-Stars with Jill Watkins performing largely jump and blues to rattle the rocky surrounds. Watkins can sing it like nobody can, with outstanding projection and a whole lotta soul. Anybody who didn't have a good time listening to George's crew has no-one to blame but themself.” MyFoxColorado “God bless those hipster jive cats Roomful of blues, but contrary to what some trendy mindsets may think, they don’t have a monopoly on swing/jump blues. Though George Whitesell may not famous as his Beantown contemporaries, from the sounds of it, he has a pretty fair franchise out Rocky Mountain way.” Dan Wilging Dirty Linen-Folk and World Music Issue # 135 June/July 2008 “George Whitesell has been a mainstay on the Colorado Blues scene for quite some time. His dedication to the blues as a musical art form has been reflected in both performance and recordings. “All Stars” is appropriate as George has assembled a stellar lineup of musicians.” Brian Elliott Holler-Colorado Blues Society “The term "all star" is thrown around loosely, but if it's possible for there to be a blues supergroup in Colorado Springs, this is it. Now he's assembled what could be described as the blues board of directors in this area: George Whitesell & His All Stars.” Colorado Springs Independent-Josh Johnson “This is a blues/R&B/jump/swing show band—its members are not only excellent players but also enthusiastic performers—and they did, indeed, put on a show. At one point the audience was treated to synchonized marching/dancing/table hopping, which got a huge cheer. I recommend that you see George Whitesell & His All Stars when you get the chance. I guarantee that you will have a good time.” Jim Primock, The Holler, Colorado Blues Society "This group has certainly raised the bar for other local groups; George Whitesell & His All Stars provide a righteous and riotous ride through the rarely tapped world of jump and rhythm & blues, long overdue on the entertainment scene. I wish them many happy returns." Dan Demuth “Get ready for the most accomplished horn-dominated jump blues/R&B band on the Colorado blues scene, as 60-year old George Whitesell & His All Stars featuring Jill Watkins take you back to those glorious days of the traveling rhythm and blues circuit tours that were all the rage in the late‘40s and early‘50s. This is R&B-influenced jump and party blues of the highest order, as Whitesell (weaned on the likes of Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, Roy Brown, Johnny Otis, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and others) put together this ensemble of Colorado’s finest blues and jazz musicians”. Supporting the Blues (online music review site)