Michael Law

Michael Law is an English pianist, singer and founder/musical director of The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra.

Biography

Early life and education

Michael Law was born in Tanganyika, where his father was a judge. Donated a wind-up gramophone and stacks of 78rpm records, Michael spent his childhood incongruously listening to the music of the 1920s and '30s, while the rest of the world twisted and shouted to the Beatles. Educated at the King's School Canterbury (academic and music scholar), Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (academic and choral exhibitioner) and the Royal College of Music, Michael always pursued his passion for the music of the jazz flavoured "Art Deco" era.

Career

Michael is founder, pianist, singer and musical director of The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, which he founded in 1988 and now runs with his partner Alan Bennett-Law. Michael achieved a lifelong ambition when the orchestra was invited in 1997 to be part of a great tradition, by playing regularly at the Savoy Hotel for "Stompin' At The Savoy", following in the footsteps of Carroll Gibbons, Geraldo and other great band leaders of the past. "Stompin'" continued for more than six years, until the much publicised refurbishment of the public rooms (and the auctioning off of much of the Savoy's Art Deco heritage) ended a ninety-year tradition.

With his orchestra, Michael has many Radio performances under his belt, including the VE day celebrations in Hyde Park, a concert from the Wigmore Hall for Radio 3, the 75th anniversary of the BBC on Radio 4's Loose Ends and live performances on the Radio 2 Arts Programme and Friday Night Is Music Night. TV appearances include Pebble Mill, Daytime Live and Play It Again. Michael and the orchestra have recorded four albums [http://pdo.org.uk/recordings.html] for TER (at Abbey Road Studios) and can be seen and heard in the film "Last Orders". Michael also recorded "An Evening with Sheridan Morley and Michael Law", at Pizza on The Park, Knightsbridge. Judy Campbell guests, recording commercially "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" for the first time [http://pdo.org.uk/recordings.html] , having originally introduced this famous song to the world in "New Faces of 1940".

The Orchestra has been in demand wherever style and swinging music are required. Highlights have included Earl Spencer's 30th Birthday Party, where Princess Diana asked Michael and the orchestra to play "In The Mood" (- twice!), Sir Paul Getty's 60th and 70th birthday parties, several BAFTA Awards parties including special evenings for Julie Andrews and Sean Connery, West End Theatre first night parties and in 2002, Cunard themed a complete QE2 transatlantic cruise around the orchestra. The "PDO" played for the de-Rothschilds at Exbury in May 2007 and for Earl Spencer's party to celebrate 500 years of Althorp in May 2008.

While much in demand as a dance orchestra, the PDO also tour theatres and concert halls with their concert programmes "It’s De-Lovely", "Hollywood Party", "Stompin' At The Savoy" and "20th , including sold-out performances at The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Snape Maltings, Buxton Opera House and many other venues.

Away from the orchestra, Michael is a regular performer aboard the Silver Seas line, as well as the legendary Cunarders QM2 and QE2 where his cabaret performances are always very enthusiastically received. Away from the orchestra, Michael was invited by Noel Coward’s biographer and friend, the late and much missed Sheridan Morley to play and sing in his Noel and Gertie, as well as to tour the Far East to celebrate Noel Coward's centenary, which included cabaret performances at Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Oriental in Bangkok. Michael played and sang for Radio 2's Coward Centenary tribute and has appeared in cabaret at Claridges, the Savoy Hotel, Pizza On The Park and the Purcell Room. Michael was invited to perform Mad Dogs And Englishmen for Gloria Hunniford's television tribute to Sir John Mills. Michael toured the UK from 1999 to 2006 with Sheridan Morley in a cabaret show directed by Emmy Award winner Ruth Leon, culminating in performances at the Jermyn Street Theatre and Pizza on the Park (the latter being recorded in 2003 [http://pdo.org.uk/recordings.html] .

Michael has also accompanied at the piano such diverse artistes as Christopher Lee, Elizabeth Welch, Glenda Jackson, Hubert Gregg, Judy Campbell and Meat Loaf! Michael and his orchestra continue to tour throughout 2008, with a celebration of the orchestra’s twentieth anniversary. Future projects include an Education Trust to promote the popular music of the 1920s to 40s and a series of new recordings.

External links

* [http://www.thepiccadillydanceorchestra.co.uk The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra]