The Swingles

Lore & Background

The Swingle Singers were formed in Paris in 1962 by Ward Swingle, who had previously been a member of Mimi Perrin's French vocal group Les Double Six. The original lineup included Anne Germain, Claude Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, Christiane Legrand, Claudine Meunier, Jean-Claude Briodin, and Jean Cussac, with Legrand as lead soprano. They began as session singers for artists such as Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf, and sang jazz vocals for Michel Legrand. The group discovered their signature style when they sang through Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier as a sight-reading exercise and found the music to have a natural swing. Their first album, Jazz Sébastien Bach, was recorded as a gift for friends and family but gained widespread radio play, leading to five Grammy Awards—four won during their French period and the fifth in 1973 after the group had moved to England. The original French Swingle Singers performed primarily a cappella.

Reader's Guide

The Swingles have maintained a continuous presence since 1962, adapting their lineup and repertoire across decades. Their early work with Bach adaptations established a trademark sound that has been used extensively in television (The West Wing, Sex and the City, Miami Vice, Glee) and film (Thank You for Smoking, Wedding Crashers, Milk). The group's significance extends to contemporary classical music: Luciano Berio composed his postmodern symphony Sinfonia for eight voices and orchestra in 1968 with the Swingle Singers in mind, and they premiered his A-Ronne in 1974. They have also collaborated with pop artists such as Étienne Daho and The Style Council. As curators of the London A Cappella Festival, they remain active in the a cappella community. Their discography includes over 30 albums, from Jazz Sebastien Bach (1963) to Theatreland (2024).

Did You Know?

• The group won four Grammy Awards during their French period and a fifth in 1973 after moving to England.
• Luciano Berio wrote his symphony Sinfonia for eight voices and orchestra in 1968 with the Swingle Singers in mind.
• The group's recording of Bach's Prelude in F Minor was incorporated into the 2005 hit single 'They' by Jem Griffiths.
• Until 2011, the group consisted of eight voices; after alto Lucy Bailey left, they continued as a seven-person lineup.