It was great to be back playing at Haydon Bridge Festival. This was one of our very first gigs when we first formed so some good memories!
TVBB at Haydon Bridge Festival
TVBB and the blustery day at Northumberland County Show
No mud this year! Made change to be able to walk around without wellies. On the flip side the blustery wind proved challenging at times but hey ho, that’s Jazz.
TVBB Great North Big Band Jazz Festival
Always a great day out we have been attending this fabulous annual event since we first formed the band!
This year we got a nice late afternoon slot giving us time to eye up the other bands.
Many thanks to the organisers and adjudicators who put in so much time and effort to make this such a successful event.
We got some nice adjudicator comments and a great write up from Russell at Bebop Spoken Here.
The tenth and final band of the day featured the mighty Tyne Valley Big Band (MD, Dave Hignett). In excess of twenty musicians on stage, the TVBB doesn’t do things by halves. Dave Connolly‘s arrangement of Hoyt Curtin’s much-loved theme tune The Flintstones kick-started the set (Tom Cantwell, guitar, Niall Armstrong, tenor sax). The TVBB marked the 30th anniversary of the global touring phenomenon Riverdance in typical style – all sections giving it some. And to close, local hero Sam Fender’s People Watching was given the big band treatment, vocalist Barbara Hignett giving it her all alongside MD – and trumpet ace – Dave Hignett blowing the roof off the place. If you’re listening to the Tyne Valley Big Band you cant be having anything other than a Yabba-dabba doo time!
TVBB Curry Nite ‘The Valley’ Corbridge
It is tradition to avail ourselves of a curry at the end of a busy term. The lovely Valley restaurant in Corbridge being a band favourite.
The proprietor Daraz always looks after us with our own special room, to keep us out of the way?
Here we see the handing over of the Whisky to the band MD ceremony
Music by the Riverside
We huddled together to keep warm and dry and end our Summer at the now annual Music by the Riverside arranged by Prudhoe Community partnership.
Keeping the microphone dry with a niftily constructed umbrella stand!
TVBB on the field of Mud. Northumberland County Show
Phew what a logistical struggle to get us all through or over the mud and powered up for our slot completing a fabulous day of local live music at the Northumberland County Show.
Days of torrential rain had led to a quagmire scenario and quieter crowds than normal but we had a good day.
TVBB Wins another award at the Great North Big Band Festival!
We had a splendid afternoon at our annual pilgrimage to the great North Big Band Festival on Saturday.
We played a challenging and entertaining programme which went down well with the audience and adjudicators alike. It was great to see all our hard work rewarded with an adjudicators award for the best Section going to our lovely trombone section. We will of course not hear the last of this for some time.
Special mention must be made of the fact that two of our pieces were arranged for the band by band members.
The multitalented and previous award winner on Bass, Caroline Guirr did a fantastically tricky arrangement of ‘All That Jazz’ from Chicago to feature our very own Jazzy vocalist Miss Barbara Hignett, (no relation)
Great intro from Mike ‘Keys’ Cunningham in his reinvigorated return to the band. Tom and Caroline assisting
Father and Son due Niall and Sam Armstrong arranged Earth Wind and Fires ‘Fantasy’ for a show stopping finale number featuring Sam on some impossibly high trumpet notes.
Great review as always from ‘Bepop Spoken Here‘
The Tyne Valley Big Band (MD, Dave Hignett) similarly never misses an edition of the GNBBJF. Invariably bringing along a truly ‘big’ big band, MD Hignett makes room for expanded brass and reeds and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be an entertaining programme. Pianist Mike Cunningham, making a welcome debut with the band, played his part in an exhilarating start as drummer David Johnson subjected himself to Whiplash. Barbara Hignett sang All That Jazz with all that pizzazz. Excellent. To conclude a fine set, Niall Armstrong and Sam Armstrong arranged Earth, Wind and Fire’s Fantasy for the band, Becky White, alto sax and Ben Haslam, trombone, the featured soloists. Dave Hignett signed off saying: Hopefully see you in the bar.
Looking forward to next year already!
TVBB at Hexham Jazz Festival
‘You can’t be having anything but a good time if you are listening to the Tyne Valley Big Band!’ Russell Bepop Spoken Here
What a lovely sunny afternoon to be playing in the Cloisters next to Hexhams historic Abbey. A swirly wind caused havoc with music and stands but hey ho, thats Jazz!
Mac the Knife featuring our lovely vocalist extraordinaire, Miss Barbara Hignett, no relation.
Thanks to Core Music for setting up the gear and a great warm up set by the Core Music Jazz Quartet, and surprise guest!
Read a great review of the afternoon on Bepop Spoken Here. Thanks as always for supporting us.
TVBB Xmas/10 year anniversary Curry Night
We had a great night out to celebrate 10 years as a band, and the end of Xmas term at ‘The Valley’ in Corbridge.
Sadly our MD Dave Hignett had to dash off to get the train before the obligatory photo opportunity with the surprise token of our appreciation for all of his efforts could be taken. We usually rely on him missing the train and coming back but on this occasion he was guided by our lovely vocalist Barbara Hignett, no relation, so had no excuse to miss it.
Instead here we see the band as it was the last time we visited ‘The Valley’ in 2012
Here we see a few stragglers from our current lineup full of curry and Cobra at the end of a lovely night.
See you in 2022!
TVBB at Royal Quays Marina.
We had a great gig at this fabulous venue playing to the Marina crowds with the stunning backdrop of Mr Disneys ship full of Micky Mouses moored next to us on the Tyne.
Here we see our youngest band member Ben blasting out a fantastic trombone solo watched on by his very proud dad Nat. Thanks to Immy for working the video and cameras.
Thanks to Matt Simms and all the staff at Boatfolk for making us so welcome and plying us with drink (and food).
As always we appreciate the enthusiastic reviews by Russell at Bebop Spoken Here
The Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina – September 11
A beautiful autumn day. A trip to the coast, a look in at Cullercoats Crescent Club (quiet), a wander round Tynemouth Metro station market (busy), a visit to Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (this was Heritage Open Days’ weekend, but it’s open year round) overlooking the Tyne estuary and out to the North Sea, and on to Coble Dene to catch one of the region’s most popular big bands.
Royal Quays Marina reeks of money, squillions of small pleasure craft moored adjacent to the Port of Tyne ferry terminal, a world away from the less well off housing estates just up the road. Mark di Suvero’s Tyne Anew sculpture stood in the shadow of two towering cruise ships – Disney Magic and DFDS – preparing to set sail. Also in their shadow, Dave Hignett’s Tyne Valley Big Band was busy entertaining residents, resting cyclists, walkers, cafe diners and a few jazz fans.
Today’s edition of the TVBB boasted no fewer than seven trumpets, a full compliment of reeds – Sophie Speed and Andrea DeVere blowing some great tenor sax – Caroline Guirr on bass and David Johnson, drums, yes, many familiar faces were on parade. Quincy Jones’ Soul Bossa Nova, Henry Mancini’s ever-popular The Pink Panther Theme, Barbara Hignett belting out Paolo Nutini’s Ten Out of Ten and Aretha Franklin’s big hit, Respect, a typically energetic set from the Tyne Valley boys and girls.
Closing out a fine set, Dave Hignett’s crew went out on Erik Morales’ Feelin’ the Funk. It was time to head up to Black Storm Brewery’s tap room then on to Newcastle for some last minute shopping. Russell