Alex Mendham (born 13 September 1989) is a British bandleader, singer, and saxophonist known for reviving the music and glamour of the Jazz Age. He is the founder and leader of
Alex Mendham & His Orchestra, a transatlantic ensemble recognised for its authentic recreations of 1920s and 1930s dance band repertoire. Through historically faithful arrangements, period instruments, and a meticulous visual style, Mendham brings the golden age of popular music to contemporary audiences.
Mendham formed the orchestra in 2010. At the age of 23, he became the youngest bandleader in history to secure a residency at London’s
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a luxury hotel located in the Strand in the City of Westminster in central London, England. Built by the impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan opera productions, it opened on 6 August 1 ...
, where his ensemble performed for six years. His orchestra has since performed at prestigious venues including
Claridge’s,
The Ritz,
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle is a Listed building#Categories of listed building, Grade I listed country house built in 1679 and largely renovated in the 1840s, with a park designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century. The estate is in Highclere in ...
, and
Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada ( Spanish for "The Enchanted Hill"), is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his arc ...
. He has also led private performances for high-profile clients, including a birthday celebration for
King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
.
He is the only bandleader to have performed with an orchestra aboard both the
RMS Queen Mary
RMS ''Queen Mary'' is a retired British ocean liner that operated primarily on the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line. It is currently a hotel, museum, and convention space in Long Beach, California, United States. It i ...
and the
Queen Mary 2
RMS ''Queen Mary 2'' (''QM2'') is a British ocean liner. She has served as the flagship of the Cunard Line since April 2004, and as of 2025, is the only active, purpose-built ocean liner still in service. ''Queen Mary 2'' sails regular transat ...
. Through an ongoing partnership with
Cunard Line
The Cunard Line ( ) is a British shipping and an international cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its four ships have been r ...
, Mendham and his orchestra have become the musical face of the company's vintage-themed transatlantic crossings, Mendham and his orchestra have appeared at venues such as the
Los Angeles Theatre,
Filoli, and the
Castle Green.
Mendham has been featured on
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
, and in publications including ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
''. In a 2023 interview with ''Shoutout LA'', performer
Dita Von Teese described Mendham as "a consummate showman".
In 2020, Mendham signed with
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
to appear on ''Keep Smiling Through'', a tribute to
Dame Vera Lynn. That same year, he released ''Puttin’ on the Ritz'', an album of jazz and romantic standards recorded during a brief lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the UK. In 2024, he released ''Fascinatin’ Rhythm'', which features expanded orchestral textures and a continued dedication to the style and sound of early 20th-century music.
Discography
* ''Whistling in the Dark'' (2013)
* ''Jazznocracy'' (2015)
* ''On with the Show'' (2017)
* ''Puttin’ on the Ritz'' (2020)
* ''Fascinatin’ Rhythm'' (2024)
References
External links
Official websiteVimeo channelBBC Radio 3 – In TuneThe Syncopated Times profile
Citations
{{England-musician-stub