Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra have been moving audiences for over 20 years, both swing dancers and discerning listeners. The intuitive play within this band of San Diego All Stars, recalls the days of Johnny Otis, Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (with Camille Howard on piano), The Buddy and Ella Johnson Band, Count Basie, and more, who bridged the gap between 30s-40s big bands, and the jump blues of the 40s. The Motel Swing Orchestra is renowned for their highly energetic shows and propensity to make one a slave to the dance floor. Playing blistering boogies, big band tunes, and blues, the band swings gracefully and fearlessly.
Whether it’s the soulful blues sax of Jonny Viau and his stellar trombone horn partner, April West, or the high energy guitar of Steve Wilcox playing off Sue’s rollicking piano, combined with spectacular lead singer Liz Ajuzie and Sue’s longtime rhythm section of Sharon Shufelt and Pete Harrison, their newest release Movin’ Along captures this spirit. Known in San Diego as the “Queen of Boogie Woogie,” Sue Palmer is an award-winning piano player and band leader.
She has been inducted into San Diego’s Music Hall of Fame (2018) and won many San Diego Music Awards for her albums, both solo and with her orchestra. She was the beehive wearing piano player for the late blues diva Candye Kane and toured the world with her in the 90s and 2000s. Sue is a virtuoso piano player and able to thrill in just about any genre. Her compositions are featured on her latest release, including the title track “Movin’ Along,” a piano driven stroller, “Swango,” sung in French by vocalist Lix Ajuzie, and “Killer Tiki Boogie,” featuring David Mosby on lead vocals. Other band originals include “Last Call,” written by acclaimed guitarist Laura Chavez, who appears on this tune and the title track, and Laura Jane Wilcock, and “Locked Up in Georgia,” by vocalist Liz Ajuzie.
