Leon Jordan's Continentals - Big Band - Raleigh, NC - Hero Main
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Leon Jordan's Continentals Big Band from Raleigh, NC

Will travel up to 100 miles

  • Avg 5.0 | 6 Reviews
  • 9 Verified Bookings
  • Member Since 2013
  • Starting at $650 per event

About Vendor 

Learn more about this vendor for your event.

Leon Jordan's Continentals Big Band has been celebrating with you since 1957. This big band is a big "dance" band. Unlike all the others, you can dance to every tune we play. Primarily playing those 1930-1960 dance classics, the play list also includes songs from as early the 1910s and as recent as 2010s. Whether for the Lord Mayor of Hull, England, U.S. Senators, North Carolina Governors, happy brides and grooms, charities, collegiate events, country clubs, dance clubs, inaugural balls, Bob Hope, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Wayne Newton etc., Leon Jordan's Continentals play music of the great Big Bands. The band was featured in the major motion picture "Once Around" with Richard Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter. They play what dancers and listeners want to hear, original arrangements and music from notable bands such as: Glen Miller Herb Albert Henri Mancini Woody Herman Les Brown Harry James Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey Kaye Kyser Duke Ellington Johnny Long Benny Goodman Artie Shaw and more current arrangements from today's swing band leaders Music selections number over a thousand from 1914-2010s. The Continentals Dance Band was first organized in 1957 as a sixteen piece orchestra. Leon had just been discharged from the Navy, and he and other musicians in the Raleigh area were looking for an opportunity to play dance music. The band's first engagement was playing for the Miss Raleigh pageant in 1958. Soon afterward they were playing for college dances at N.C. State, Duke and UNC. Many of the early musicians were college students and members of the National Guard Band. The band quickly grew in popularity because they played dance music while other bands in the area played jazz. One of the first musicians in the band and one who helped start the band was drummer Bobby Harrison. After playing with the Continentals, Harrison went on the road with Frank Sinatra, Jr. and then Si Zentner and Juliet Prowse. He now plays in Los Vegas. Other well-known musicians who have played with the band more recently are saxophonist Kirby Campbell, at one time the busiest studio musician in New York City, and Bob Havens who was the featured trombonist on the Lawrence Welk show for its entire twenty-two year run. The Continentals Band is best-known for having played more than five hundred Saturday night engagements at the Radisson Governors Inn in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The Band's current vocalist is Stephie Goode, who was educated at the Indiana University School of Music and studied under the great Eugene Bayless. The Continentals Orchestra plays a variety of music — Latin, swing, mambo, rumba, waltzes, some beach and country, ballads, vocals, 30's–2010's — popular and contemporary. The orchestra seeks to play the styles of music that customers prefer and will also adapt to the preference of the dancers. We play danceable music and swing music as revived by Linda Ronstadt, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble, Diana Krall & Rod Stewart. The Continental Combo, a break-out jazz combo is available for smaller and/or more intimate events.

Services 

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Reviews 

Check out these verified reviews from bookings on The Bash.

Avg 5.0 | 6 Reviews

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Review by Nina M.

Wedding ReceptionReviewed on May 30, 2017From Winston Salem, NC

The only noticeable mistake was that we had asked the announcer to only address the parents of the bride and groom by first name. The (step)father of the groom was addressed as Brad Trusler (it was assumed that his last name was the same as Josh's and it is in fact Laymon). We chalked it up to human error, and it by no means put a damper on the evening.

Review by Rebecca B.

Wedding ReceptionReviewed on July 26, 2016From Fayetteville, NC

My husband and I booked the Leon Jordan Continentals for our wedding reception and we were extremely pleased. The band is wonderful and was a hit at the wedding. Before we made our entrance into the reception we could feel the energy from outside the building and that is when I knew it was going to be a fantastic evening. The manager, Keith, spoke with me personally to create the perfect song list for the evening and even searching into their archives to find a few specific songs that were very special for us. Their professionalism is top notch, I would highly recommend them! There is something about live music that the best DJ just simply can't deliver!

Review by elizabeth e.

Community EventReviewed on October 11, 2015From Southern Pines, NC

It was a benefit party 80 people everyone lov ed the band. They were a joy to deal with start to finish!

Song List 

Get a feel for the songs performed by this vendor. Contact them directly for special requests.

  • Taste of Honey | Herb Albert
  • Pennsylvania 6-5000
  • This Masquerade
  • Theme from Pink Panther
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Zoot Suit Riot
  • Route 66
  • At Last
  • Mack the Knife
  • Sweet Georgia Brown
  • Begin the Begine
  • Boot Scootin Boogie
  • Nearness of You
  • Johnny B Goode
  • My Girl
  • Michelle | Beatles
  • Oye Como Va
  • Go Daddy O
  • Someone to Watch Over Me
  • Theme from Titanic
  • Can't Take My Eyes Off You
  • Stormy Weather
  • Almost Like Being in Love
  • Sentimental Journey
  • In the Mood
  • Mercy Mercy Mercy
  • Under the Boardwalk
  • The Way You Look Tonight
  • Theme from New York | New York
  • Over 1000 other songs in our library...

Booked Events 

: The Bash Verified Bookings

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events

Past Events

February 24, 2019 • Wedding Reception
Sun7:30 PM - 11:00 PM Winston Salem, NC
May 27, 2017 • Wedding Reception
Sat5:30 PM - 9:30 PM Winston Salem, NC
February 25, 2017 • Anniversary Party
Sat8:00 PM - 1:00 AM Chapel Hill, NC
July 9, 2016 • Wedding Reception
Sat5:30 PM - 9:00 PM Fayetteville, NC
February 27, 2016 • Harnett Co Rotary Ball
Sat7:30 PM - 11:00 PM Lillington, NC
February 27, 2016 • Harnett Co Rotary Ball
Sat7:30 PM - 11:00 PM Lillington, NC
February 20, 2016 • Gala at Kerr Scott Building
Sat7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Raleigh, NC
February 19, 2016 • High Park Bar and Grill
Fri7:00 PM - 10:30 PM Raleigh, NC
February 14, 2016 • Restaurant
Sun1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Raleigh, NC
February 14, 2016 • 2 area dining venues
Sun1:00 PM - 10:00 PM Raleigh, NC
October 10, 2015 • Community Event
Sat5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Southern Pines, NC
June 6, 2015 • Wedding Reception
Sat6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Chapel Hill, NC

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