HOW DID THEY START ?      WHAT DO THEY PLAY?     WHERE HAVE THEY PLAYED?

The Moovin’ & Groovin’ Orchestra (MGO) was formed in Melbourne 1990, when a small number of bands, including the Swingin' Sidewalks and the Jam Tarts, got together with other interested instrumentalists, singers and arrangers.

It was very much about Swing and R&B, there was plenty of excitement in the air and the band took off like a rocket. The repertoire later broadened considerably to take in Latin American, the great show songs of Broadway and Hollywood, the hipness of the jazz arrangers like Quincy Jones and Gil Evans, and the need to write original music as well.

The MGO was very much connected in the early days with PBS radio's live recordings - the very first gig was a fairly impromptu get together in the foyer of PBS radio’s studio in Fitzroy Street St Kilda.  A quick rehearsal, some microphones strung up around the space and the band went live to air.

More of these early live performances went out from the Gershwin Room at the Esplanade Hotel in St Kilda for the PBS recordings of their Saturday afternoon Moovin' & Groovin' shows - which is how the band got it's name.

The band was managed by Carolyn Logan in the early years and she did a great job in getting us on the map.  Two notable early residencies were at the Café Hotel in North Melbourne and later at the Ritz in St Kilda.  Another ongoing connection is with the Melbourne Zoo Twilight Concerts.  See Where They Have Played for more information.

Over the years band members have come and gone, but there are a substantial set of originals as well as some new blood these days.

The band is now self-managed - Contact Us.