Ridley Hall 2013

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The band had a very successful weekend at our inaugural Ridley Hall residential over the weekend of 12th and 13th January.

We were able to spend some quality extended rehearsal time on new and old numbers alike in preparation for some important Gigs in the next few months.

Many thanks from the band to our Musical Director Dave Hignett who gave up his time and expertise to guide us through playing this exciting big band music.

Thanks also to Andrea Devere our fantastic saxophonist and soloist who led a sectional rehearsal for the Saxes on Saturday afternoon.  We we all very impressed to witness Andrea transposing the Bari sax part on her tenor whilst playing one handed and conducting the sectional all at the same time.

Tyne Valley Big Band World Snooker Championship.

Most of the band were able to stay over on Saturday night to take part in the very first Tyne Valley Big Band World Snooker Championship.

This knockout competition was hotly contested by 10 teams of 2, the eventual winners John (Bari Sax) and Dave (MD and Trumpet) took on Matt (Tenor Sax) and his son Sam (Trumpet/Drums) in the final to win in convincing style.

The final had looked on paper to be a close contest but Sams performance had sadly waned through the course of the evening as he seemed strangely “tired”.  There were unfounded rumours that he had been “nobbled” by the opposition.

Special mention must be made to the Wylam Brewery for providing us with some very fine Ale over the weekend.

Strangely the pencil used to tally individual consumption broke during the course of the evening leading to some gross underestimates the next day during the final reckoning

Daves Birthday

Our Trombonist member Dave Bradford celebrates a big birthday this week.  Fellow Tromboner Tish baked him a special cake from an old Scottish recipe handed down through the generations involving Buckfast  Buckwheat and Bero.  And very nice it was too.

Dave being a Trombonist had no problem blowing out his big sparkly candle.

The Ridley Hall weekend was so successful with the band that we have provisionally booked a return weekend next year (18th and 19th January 2014)

We now look forward to a busy few months with our next Gigs being at Darlington Forum Jazz Club (in conjunction with the Northumberland County Youth Jazz Orchestra) on February 17th, and our debut entry in the Sunderland Big Band Festival on Saturday March 2nd.