Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

VE Day 80 – A Swinging Celebration

Vernon Kay is your host for this special concert from the Alexandra Palace Theatre featuring the Â鶹Éç Big Band and the strings of the Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra directed by Mike Lovatt.

Vernon Kay is your host for this special concert from the Alexandra Palace Theatre featuring the Â鶹Éç Big Band and the strings of the Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra directed by Mike Lovatt.

The 8th of May 1945 was a day of joy throughout the UK. After 6 long years, the war in Europe was finally at an end. In every city, town and village, the streets were filled with people celebrating the long awaited news. It would also be a bittersweet occasion for many who had lost loved ones in the war or were awaiting their safe return.

Our Swinging Celebration features big band classics of that era, including Flying Home, Skyliner, Opus One and Caravan. Guest vocalist Anna-Jane Casey explores the Doris Day and Vera Lynn songbooks, with hits including My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time, Sentimental Journey and I’ll Be Seeing You. Also featured are Gary Wilmot leading the Great British Singalong in a selection of wartime favourites. Singer and saxophonist Ray Gelato gets the joint jumpin’ with Louis Jordan favourites, including Five Guys Named Moe and Caldonia, and the stunning 6-piece vocal harmony group Accent perform What Is This Thing Called Love, Birth of the Blues and There! I've Said It Again.

During the interval, Kate Garner visits the Â鶹Éç's original TV studios, where she talks to Alexandra Palace curator Kirsten Forrest about the pioneering days of television between 1936 and September 1939, when the service was closed for the duration of the war.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 May 2025 20:00
Â鶹Éç Radio 2

More episodes

Previous

Al Murray chooses his final Tracks Of My Years

Next

Pete Tong chooses his Tracks Of My Years

See all episodes from Vernon Kay

Music Played

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    Trumpet Blues & Cantabile

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Blue Skies

  • Anna-Jane Casey, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    I'm Beginning To See The Light

  • Anna-Jane Casey & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time

  • Anna-Jane Casey & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Sentimental Journey

  • Anna-Jane Casey, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    Here's Looking At You

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Caravan

  • Ray Gelato & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Caldonia

  • Ray Gelato & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town

  • Ray Gelato & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Five Guys Named Moe

  • Ray Gelato & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Saturday Night Fish Fry

  • Gary Wilmot, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    VE Day 80 Medley

  • Al Bowlly & Lew Stone & His Band

    Music Maestro Please

    • Music Maestro Please.
    • Decca.
    • F6777.

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    Opus One

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Cherokee

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    Skyliner

  • Accent & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby

  • Accent & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Birth Of The Blues

  • Accent & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    You and the Night and the Music

  • Accent

    Hymne A L'Amour

  • Accent, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    What Is This Thing Called Love?

  • Anna-Jane Casey, Accent & The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    There I've Said It Again

  • The Â鶹Éç Big Band

    Flying Home

  • Anna-Jane Casey, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    I'll Be Seeing You

  • Accent, The Â鶹Éç Big Band & Â鶹Éç Concert Orchestra

    Here's To The Next Time

Broadcast

  • Sun 11 May 2025 20:00
    Â鶹Éç Radio 2

Ten To The Top

Ten To The Top

Get all the details of how to enter and listen to Vernon's daily music quiz.