Pearly Shells ft Michelle Nicolle

Formed around the turn of the century by double bassist Steve Purcell as a Count Basie style dance band, The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra has evolved over more than 20 years to become a unique Melbourne musical institution. The Pearly Shells mix their own arrangements of 40’s and 50’s big band music with Jump Blues, Swing Jazz, RnB, Boogie Woogie and Latin styles and play it all with the drive and enthusiasm the music demands and deserves. Expect music by Ellington, Basie, Goodman, Ray Charles, Louie Jordan, Billy Holiday, Ella Johnson, Xavier Cugat as well as Pearly’s songs from their seven studio albums. Featuring the incredible vocals of Michelle Nicolle.

Known for her ability to get right to the heart of a song, ARIA-nominated vocalist Michelle Nicolle is an accomplished live artist. She has toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally; including shows in South Korea, Finland, and Czech Republic, Asia Pacific Festival (Russia), Tokyo Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland), New Zealand, Turkey, Estonia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Michelle Nicolle started her musical career when she began the violin at the age of eight in the Barossa Valley, South Australia in the 1970s. Based in Melbourne, she is now celebrated as Australia’s finest jazz singer. A band leader with refined style, Nicolle’s apparent ease at difficult, and varied improvisation, bring to mind the skills of singers like Betty Carter, Mel Torme or Ella Fitzgerald. But she sounds like none of those singers. Michelle Nicolle is a jazz singer in the true jazz tradition – a creative and masterful improviser with the technique to match any instrumentalist.

Eat & Drink
Make a meal of it! The music gets underway at 7.30pm, but arrive a bit earlier if you can. From 6.30pm, enjoy pre-show dinner and drinks at The Count’s Italian-style kitchen and bar. Reservations are not required when you purchase a ticket to a show. Order from the QR code on your table, or at the bar. View the menu.