A YOUNG orchestra mixing residencies at The Ritz and The Savoy with stadium performances will return home for a special concert.

Rayleigh’s Alex Mendham brings the glitz and glamour of the 1920s and 1930s with help from two singing sisters from Southend.

Alex Mendham and his Orchestra was created by the 29-year-old who came across vintage music and spotted a gap in the market.

He was joined by Hannah and Serena Dunlop.

The trio work with a between 11 and 16 piece orchestra.

He said: “When I found the music, I thought this needs to be explored, and I researched and found nobody else was doing it.

“I wanted to bring it back to how it was in the heyday, in the old films.

“There was so much passion.

“I wanted to help open it up to different audiences, and we have done that.

“It is the music and era associated with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

“We are a full big band with saxaphone, trumpet, a rhythm section, double bass and more.

“We played for West Ham United at the London Stadium for the 100 year anniversary of the I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles song earlier this month.

“We have played at the Savoy Hotel since 2015 and the Ritz Hotel since 2017.

“We expect to play at both of these venues again very soon.

“I always wanted to play at venues like this.

“It is fantastic and a really lovely feeling.

“The reception has been amazing and we get a mixed age range in our audiences.”

Mr Mendham said a big part of the big band is the visual element.

He wanted to make sure the look and feel of the band was how it would have been in the Twenties and Thirties.

He said the men wear classic tuxedo suits and the women dress in traditional outfits from the time period.

They have also performed at the setting for Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle, in Hampshire and Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

He said: “We are now looking forward to our new show in Southend on Wednesday, October 10.

“It will be as part of our On With The Show tour.

“We are very pleased to bring our show to Southend.”

All three are looking forward to returning to their past to perform and hope to play to a packed house at the Palace Theatre.

The Southend show will include such clasic songs such as Dream A Little Dream of Me, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Cheek to Cheek.

You can watch videos of the band at www.echo-news.co.uk.

For more information about the upcoming show and to get tickets you can go online and visit the website at: southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-alex-mendham-and-his-orchestra-southend-2018