WAYNE Cornell Jr was not surprised when people told him he was mad at the suggestion of giving Men at Work's Down Under and Better Be Home Soon by Crowded House a big band make-over.
It was an ambitious project but one that Cornell Jr was set on completing.
He rounded up a 10-piece band and drew up a repertoire of covers that he hoped to record on his album, Cover Story. It features classic Australian rock tracks such as Run To Paradise, Comin Home and Back in Black all treated with a splash of sophistication.
Born into a musical family and brought up side of stage, Cornell Jr had always held a dream of fronting his own big band and to keep swing alive.
He counts his mother Cheryl Assang and father Wayne Cornell, who was lead singer of The Delltones from 1967 to 1969, among his biggest influences.
His vision was to front a big band with horns but add the standard four piece rock band element into the mix, melding the past with the present.
``I went on stage for the first time in my mum's belly, and after I was born I got dragged around all the big band and cabaret shows,'' Cornell Jr said.
``I love this style of music.
Standing in front of these hot musicians, playing hot arrangements, is quite an unbelievable experience.
``The power of the band hits me right in the back.'' Cornell Jr said his band now boasts a repertoire of more than 40 songs which range from classics of the swing era to modern hits.
``We can do a show and have football players who'd never get on the dancefloor in their life getting down to it whilst the oldies reminisce.
``We take our music serious and we want to reach a lot of people and sell records, but ultimately we want to have a load of fun and see people with smiles on their faces.'' Wayne Cornell Jr and His Orchestra will perform with his band at Belmont 16ft Sailing Club on Saturday night before embarking on a three-month tour.
Tickets cost $16.50 and are on sale at the club.
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