Dorine de Wit (Banjo, Vocals)

Growing up in Enkhuizen, Holland, a hot bed of traditional jazz in Holland, with a father who plays banjo, and an uncle who plays bass in the Freetime Old Dixie Jass Band, Dorine was no stranger to the traditional jazz scene. After moving to Cornwall in 2007 she was a founder member of the popular RnB, jazz and ska band “Roadkill”.  She also toured the UK and Denmark with the Rich Bennett Band which was a busy and popular band on the British jazz scene often winning “band of the year” in the clubs - pulling in the biggest crowd of the year. Despite only starting to play guitar (and later banjo) in 2009, her relaxed but driving banjo playing and natural, warm singing style were gaining attention wherever she played leading her to take the leap to venture out and form a new band this year.

In for a treat

The Covid lockdowns meant for Dorine that she did not visit her hometown of Enkhuizen for more than 2 years. Something not heard of in the past. Therefore the idea of bringing her family over started to brew. As well as her father (Piet) and uncle (Jaap) playing in the Freetime Old Dixie Jass Band, they are regularly joined by her two cousins on drums (Pieter) and reeds (Jaap). (The names are slightly confusing and it's a good thing there's not another two generations (of more Jaap's and Piet's) on stage!) This is not always possible as Jaap and Pieter play in other bands too that tour Holland and Europe. The Big Easy Rascals, the Hot Revival Stompers to name a few. And that's not where the excitement ends, the band is joined on trumpet by Keesjan Hoogeboom who is the regular player in the Dutch Swing College Band.