About the Orchestra

The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra was founded by Michael Law in 1988. In October of that year the orchestra met for the first time to record two songs, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town and Two Sleepy People, which were issued privately as the two sides of the orchestra's first ever release, a vinyl single.

The orchestra's first female vocalist was Janice Day, whose sweet tones contributed much to its original success. Our manager at the time, Rod Smith, took a copy of the single to PRT records (formerly PYE records), who liked it and reissued the single in time for Christmas 1988, then recorded our first album, Let Yourself Go, which was released in April 1989 on CD, cassette and vinyl LP record. In 1993 the orchestra began a series of recordings for John Yap's TER/JAY records at the world famous Abbey Road studios, with four CD's released to date.

In 1992, our manager Alan Bennett-Law joined the orchestra with the aim of matching the standard of administration, technology and customer service to the already high standards of the music. With Alan's backing and encouragement, Michael and the orchestra have gone from strength to strength, playing for many top events and parties, as well as developing musical programmes for concert performances. Of late, Alan has taken more of a back seat in order to pursue a career in counselling and education, but remains co-owner of the PDO and advises on marketing and business projects.

The PDO's performance highlights have included many years playing for dancing for the Henley Festival, Earl Spencer's 30th Birthday Party (where Princess Diana asked the orchestra to play In The Mood - twice!), special BAFTA awards parties for Julie Andrews and Sean Connery, the first ever Proms In the Park and a residency at The Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly. Michael Law achieved a lifelong ambition when the twelve-piece version of orchestra began a series of Saturday night dinner dances at the cradle of British Dance Band music, the Savoy Hotel (Stompin' At The Savoy) in October 1997, which continued until December 2003. Other clients include Sir John Paul Getty (60th and 70th birthdays parties and a ball at Clarence House where Dame Margaret Thatcher led the dancing), Sir Terence Conran (70th birthday party), Earl Spencer's ball to celebrate 500 years of Althorp House and many corporate events.

The orchestra have been seen on television for Wogan, Daytime Live, Pebble Mill, Play It Again and Lorraine Live. BBC live radio broadcasts include: for Radio 2 (Radio 2 Arts Programme) and the VE Day celebrations from Hyde Park), Radio 3 (a live lunchtime concert from the Wigmore Hall) and Radio 4 (a special edition of Ned Sherrin's Loose Ends to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the BBC).

Future plans include further recordings and concert tours, as well as the establishment of an education project to introduce younger people to the great music of the 1920s to 40s.

View VIDEOS of The PDO.

 

 

"Dance Band by Royal Appointment: Princess Margaret could contain herself no longer - 'move back the tables' was the Royal command. Within minutes she was dancing the night away"
Daily Express

"I am no expert at the foxtrot or quickstep, but the melodies of Jack Buchanan and Al Bowlly, played by the miraculously authentic Piccadilly Dance Orchestra transform my tentative shuffle, at least in the mind's eye, into the confidence of Fred Astaire".
Country Life

"Their arrangements bring the music up as fresh as paint - beguilingly and professionally accomplished."
MDC Classical Express Magazine

"The singer/pianist Michael Law is a wonderful performer"
Kit Hesketh- Harvey in Hot Tickets

"The musical delight of the evening was The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, an astonishingly good dance band... musically impeccable... libidinous elegance... much resembling Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans"
The Spectator

"The sumptuous Savoy Hotel was transformed into a spectacular Speakeasy... . The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra ensured that everyone was up on their toes ...VIP guests such as Elizabeth Hurley, Stephen Fry, Lulu, David Furnish and Tracey Emin were soon transported to a bygone era".
NOW magazine

“As a stylish interpreter of the Noel Coward songbook, Michael Law can hardly be faulted. Michael's voice has a plain, almost simplistic charm, a clear, light baritone which he uses with crystal diction and impeccable tuning and control; yet there's plenty of emotion when it's needed, and really intelligent piano accompaniments. They would be accompaniments beyond the ordinary if played by dedicated accompanists such as Coward's; but as self –accompaniments they are little short of remarkable. Michael Law's is a really thoughtful musicianly approach to this music”.
NOEL COWARD SOCIETY magazine

“STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY
“Think of a really good wedding: factor in a fantastically cheesy band leader in a white tux, with proper, olden style microphone; throw in a couple of tables of your friends, smirking ironists all, really enjoying the fact that they're actually enjoying swaying to “The White Cliffs of Dover” and you have it: completely hilarious entertainment. I could have danced all night, I really could.”
EVENING STANDARD magazine

“Try the big-band sound of The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra for a night of Stompin' in style in the Thames Foyer of the Savoy Hotel…A seriously good night out”
*** (“excellent” rating) EVENING STANDARD

“Thank you so much for making the Tea Dance such a special event again! Everyone was most complimentary - It was a most enjoyable event, all down to you and the band again!”
SOUTH BANK CENTRE

“On behalf of the Friends of the Theatre Royal, I would like to thank The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra for a great evening. The theatre was “jumpin'” and from the feedback I've received, people felt ‘inspired and uplifted'.
CHAIRMANOF THE FRIENDS OF THE THEATRE ROYAL, MARGAT