Happy New Year. As we go into what looks like being the third year of uncertainty and disruption over the Covid-19 pandemic. Hopefully there may still be a handful of big band gigs. For which, please consult the listings. But as I warned earlier, it is strongly recommended that you contact the given number beforehand, […]
The Big Band@Brunswick programme for 2020 is now well under way. Last month it was the Brighton Big Band with Dave Williams occupying the slot. On the first of this month it is The Brighton Jazz Mafia, and on 5th April, look out for Big Band Sounds. If you get there by 7:30 pm, you […]
So far, in the so-called real world, things appear to be going from bad to worse. It seems that our very own Duke and Duchess are abandoning the county to enjoy transatlantic attractions. And that the White House incompetent is disregarding international law to exacerbate the crisis in the Middle East, with repercussions likely to […]
Happy New Year. In contrast to the general gloom about the state of the nation, there is good news on the big band scene. 2020 shows an increase of four Sussex based big bands compared with 2019. Who are included in my annual January list of active gigging big bands based in the county. As […]
Once again we are at the year’s end, when seasonal songs are brought out of storage and dusted off for their annual outings. 2019 has been yet another year of uncertainty on the political front. Despite the Prime Minister’s bluster and bravado, we are still part of Europe. So charts such as April in Paris […]
I had the good fortune to see Terry Pack’s Trees again last month as part of the regular Big Band @ Brunswick Sunday evening programme. As before, it was a slimmed down version, with just four brass, eight reeds and woodwind, a single voice, keyboard, bass and drums. There was some new material as well […]
Good news. Eastbourne Bandstand is continuing its programme of Summer Thursday evening Big Band and Swing Sound concerts in 2020. There are eight scheduled, with the first on 2nd July and the last on 27th August. And a gap on 6th August. Performances are a single set starting at 8 and finishing at […]
Some Like It Hotter Some Like It Hotter is an 18-piece predominantly female swing band founded in September last year by baritone saxophonist Jody Wood, who moved from London to Bexhill in 2017. Her love of bonkers, OTT glamour didn’t quite translate to East Sussex. She was also surprised by the dearth of […]
As discussed last month, the disadvantages of outdoor performances made themselves evident again. In mid June, Jazz on The Prom, a new event, sponsored by Brighton Beach Club and the i360, was badly affected by the weather. Early on, the Sussex Jazz Orchestra had to cut their second set short after driving rain […]
We are now well and truly into the season for outdoor big band performances. With its advantages and its disadvantages. Among the advantages, apart from boosting the band’s vitamin D levels, if lucky, is that of bringing our music to a wider audience and demonstrating the healthy state of the local big band […]