After delighting audiences across the globe for nearly half a century, the legendary Royal Society Jazz Orchestra has announced its retirement at the end of 2025. A cherished fixture of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, the orchestra has been hailed as one of the world’s foremost ensembles dedicated to preserving and performing the hot jazz of the 1920s and swing-era dance music of the 1930s.
Founded and led by multi-instrumentalist and musical historian Don Neely, the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra has earned acclaim for its meticulously authentic renditions of the joyous, infectious sounds of a bygone era. Drawing from the rich musical tapestry of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression’s Swing Era, the band’s repertoire captures the essence of legends such as Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. For many years the orchestra was featured at Turk Murphy’s Earthquake McGoon’s at Pier 39 and San Francisco’s Mark Hopkins Hotel in addition to Bay Area radio appearances and over 300 studio recordings.
“The best band of their type in the world,” wrote the late San Francisco jazz critic Philip Elwood, who called the RSJO “solid, tight, brilliant… a first-rate dance orchestra, a fine jazz ensemble (with strong soloists)… Carla Normand is the band’s perfect singer- a bright, sure-pitched gem of a voice.”
Indeed, Carla Normand, the orchestra’s dazzling vocalist, has long been celebrated for her ability to breathe life into every lyric. Whether belting out an up-tempo swing tune or caressing a torch song, Normand’s lilting phrasing and heartfelt delivery have captivated fans for decades.
Recently, Normand was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting over one million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. While the diagnosis has presented new challenges, Carla’s indomitable spirit and enduring talent continue to inspire. Her story—both as a beloved voice of the RSJO and as a woman courageously facing the trials of Parkinson’s—was featured in a special tribute radio program airing September 12th at 7 pm PDT & September 20th at 7 pm PDT on on Bay Area-based Swing Street Radio’s “Profiles in Swing: The Carla Normand Story.”
With the band’s retirement on the horizon, 2025 will mark a poignant and celebratory farewell tour, giving loyal fans and newcomers alike a final opportunity to experience the orchestra’s magic in person. For nearly five decades, the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra has carried the torch for America’s original popular music, capturing the elegance, exuberance, and irresistible rhythm of the Jazz Age and Swing Era. As the curtain comes down on their remarkable run, their legacy remains etched in the hearts of music lovers everywhere.
Craig Roberts is host and producer of Swing Street Radio. Listen at swingstreetradio.org
