The Kream of the Krop, a big swing band, was originally organized by former band musicians who were members of the Greeley Kiwanis Club about 1983. The purpose was simply to play for enjoyment and the occasional benefit performance. Although only a few of the current members of the band are now in Kiwanis, the band is still sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greeley for its benefit shows.

The band has had an interesting history. For two summers in the mid 90’s the band entered the Glen Miller Festival contest for swing bands and won the first place trophy both times. Since this is perhaps the only national Glen Miller Festival, the band has claimed that they are “back-to-back national champions.”

Their large public performances include concerts on the campus at UNC, the Rialto Theater in Loveland, the Arts Picnic, the Union Colony Civic Center Holiday Festival, Highplains Chautauqua, Jive Cats dances at CSU, KLZ and Pirate radio (104.7) through their CD’s, the Colorado Music Educators Annual Convention, a national convention for dentistry, and many others.

In April of 2008 they shared a joint concert with the world-traveling Greeley Chorale. In June 2009 they played for the Glenn Miller Festival dance in Fort Morgan as part of the recreated Glenn Miller Festival. Also in the summer of 2009 they continued their tradition of presenting free concerts at the amphitheater and band shell at St. Michael’s Center, and presented a concert for the Windsor summer artist series at their Lakeside Park.

The tune in the background is Contessa from our CD “First Impressions.”