We will be holding one of our regular Phoenix Summer Jazz Nights on Thursday, featuring Tyne Valley Youth Jazz Ensemble, Tyne Valley Youth Big Band and Tyne Valley Big Band.

Spend an entertaining evening in the company of three wonderful jazz groups, all led by the inimitable and energetic Dave Hignett.

Junior band start at 6pm, Youth Band at 7pm & TVBB 8pm.

This evening will dedicated to the memory of John Myers who was an inspiration to so many musicians young and old alike. He was a dear friend to us and is missed by many.

A retiring collection will be taken and donated to charities of his family’s choice.

Tyne Valley Big band is delighted to be the resident Big Band of the prestigious Northumberland County Show since it moved to its new site in the grounds of Bywell Hall.

Here we see our main man, Mr Moocher himself Dave Hignett accompanying Miss Barbara Hignett, (no relation), in ‘Minnie the Moocher’

The rain held off this year so we were spared the mud but a keen breeze kept us on our toes with our pegging down music skills.

Our lovely Sax section

Trumpets, with special guest Alex Hignett all the way from Devon.

Trombones ‘Don’t look at them it only encourages them’

And it did!

Dan in his last county show before leaving us in September to pursue his studies in Barcelona! Good luck Dan.

Rhythm Boys keeping warm and sheltering the band from the wind.

Thanks to our sponsors Wylam Brewery for providing some liquid refreshment during the Gig.

We made our annual pilgrimage to the Great North Big Band Festival in Sunderland on Saturday. Now in its 12th year this national event grows from strength to strength attracting Big Bands from far and wide for a great weekend of Big Band Music.

We set off with a blast through the Flintstones theme at breakneck speed before slowing the pace for our vocal number.

‘Its so Quiet’ Shhh! featuring our amazing Vocalist Barbara Hignett (no relation)

We were delighted to be awarded two special adjudicators awards, one for the best and most entertaining programme of music and a special award for our amazing Tenor Sax player Andrea Devere for her outstanding contribution to the bands performance and ‘Raunchy’ Solos. Adjudicators Awards and Andreas ‘Flintstones’ Solo

The judges praised the band for our general tightness and good dynamics despite being a ‘Big’ Big band

Short Stop a nice little swinger.

Our final number ‘Live and Let Die’ featuring Ben Heathcote (Trumpet) Kelly Rose (Alto), Andrea Devere (Tenor) Dan Shaw (Trombone)

Our winning streak continued when our very own Tromboner Nick won a lovely bottle of red wine in the raffle.  Nick usually gets his wine delivered from his personal wine merchant, so is a bit of a wine buff. It did say ‘Smooth’ on the label, which is always a sign of quality, so well done Nick, Enjoy!

Here what ‘BeBop Spoken Here‘ had to say about the weekend .

MD Dave Hignett is a man big on talent (a top trumpet player) and big on enthusiasm. His Tyne Valley Big Band (all twenty five or twenty six, or not quite sure of the numbers) crowded the stage, someone fired a gun (metaphorically) and they sped off on several crazy laps of Theme from the Flintstones. You couldn’t help but smile. The show-stopping Barbara Hignett (vocals) stopped the show and, literally, silenced the crowd, finger to lips ‘Shhhh’ as she hushed It’s Oh So Quiet. Then, bang!!! What a showgirl! A dynamic Live and Let Die (Andrea DeVere, tenor saxophone), Tyne Valley Big Band-style. A community band to be proud of.

We are very grateful to John Boyle at Wylam Brewery in sponsoring us for another year.

We have some new band polo shirts and jackets on order for the new members in the band so we should look resplendent at the next big Gig in Sunderland.

The band have from time too time been known to sample some of the excellent beers brewed by our sponsors, though always  in a responsible manner.

We are currently rehearsing hard for our forthcoming performance at the annual Sunderland Big Band Festival and trying to recapture the glory of our prize winning joint second place in 2013

This is a brilliant event for anyone who is interested in Big Band Music attracting some top bands from all over the country.

This year we will be playing between 1.30 and 2.00pm in the Open Section on Saturday the 7th March so see you there.

The band has had a weekend away at Ridley Hall since we  started up in 2012.

It gives us a great opportunity so spend some quality time rehearsing new numbers with an eye on the Sunderland Big Band Festival pieces.

Some of the pieces we have chosen for Sunderland are quite challenging for the band so were lucky to be able to persuade local percussion legend Jack Ruddick to sit in on Kit for the weekend.

Saturday night saw the annual Tyne Valley Big Band ‘World Snooker Championship’   Modesty almost forbids one to mention the eventual winners but needless to say the dream team of Dave’ Interesting’ Hignett and Johnny ‘Hurricane’ Knappers came to the fore, once again winning the event on a fair and square basis.

An evening listening to some of the world best Trumpeters led to a late night ‘I’m Maynard Ferguson’ Jam session by some of the more overexcited band members.

Thanks as always to our sponsors Wylam Brewery for providing some excellent liquid refreshment

A snowy Sunday morning saw us pack up and head home to recover.

Here we see MD and vocalist  Dave and Barbara Hignett relaxing after a lovely romantic walk. (Spot the lead trumpet player)

We were delighted too host a joint pre Christmas concert with our Junior Jazz Ensemble and Youth Big bands before our Christmas break.

Here we see the very first ever public performance of the Tyne Valley Junior Jazz Ensemble who amazed the crowd with their confidence and great playing skills for such a young ensemble.

Keen eyed viewers might notice one or two older players in the guise of Niall Armstrong and Peter Drake who help out in the band with Conor Hignett helping his dad out playing Bass.

The middle set saw the Tyne Valley Youth Big Band take over proceedings with an exciting and vibrant performance.

Tyne Valley Big Band closed the concert with a joint massed Big Band number involving any players left standing.

We are of course grateful as ever to the Phoenix Club who provide a  room for rehearsals  and our regular end of term concerts.

There are still places available in the Junior and Youth Big Bands who rehearse regularly on Friday evenings at Core Music in Hexham.

Contact Core or Dave Hignett if you are interested in learning to play Big Band Jazz under the directorship one of the best big band musicians around.

Our friends at Core music in Hexham have put together a bid to try and acquire Jamie Cullums grand piano so best of luck to all concerned.

Watch this link right to the end as it features some familiar faces including Ben, Rachel and our illustrious MD Dave Hignett.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5p-nu1xyxo

We have a few Gigs coming up before Xmas starting with a combined Phoenix concert with our Junior and Youth Big bands on the 11th December, a Gig at Hexhams Xmas skating event the following evening and a pre Xmas jolly to Eldon Square in the big city on the 18th December, so come and see us.

See calendar for details.

We are just about to start rehearsals again having had a nice summer break.

Many thanks to the Tyne Valley Youth Big Band who joined us for our final Gig of the Summer playing a joint concert with TVBB at our rehearsal venue, the Phoenix Club Hexham.

This newly formed youth big band have already progressed greatly under MD Dave Hignetts leadership. If there are any younger Jazz players out there who would like to join please get in touch as there are still some chairs open.

The second half of the gig saw an impressive set of solos from our Trombone section, here we see Nick Brodin and Dave Bradford in action

The night of course ended with the inevitable Curry in the palatial colonial setting of the Diwan e Am.

MD Dave Hignett receiving an end of term liquid gift from the band

See you in September

Keen eyed viewers may have noticed that our slot at Haydon Bridge Beer Festival has been moved to an earlier time of 5.30-7.30.

This should hopefully allow our expert tuggers to take part in the Tug O’ War and take on the might of Tynedales agricultural tugging elite.