Mixing it up on Newbury bandstand
THE Project Band plays the Victoria Park Bandstand on Saturday between 3pm and 5pm.
August has Ska Band Rude Not 2 You which, says promoter Sound Newbury’s Paul Worsley “is going to be amazing with a full brass section”, September 9 is looking good, with Sing for Fun at 2pm, Caskettes (Cow and Cask micropub regulars) at 3pm and local acoustic from 4pm.
Project Band will have around 20 performers, Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/theprojectbands
As a budding or hobby musician, there’s nothing better to develop your musical skills and have fun at the same time than playing in a band with other like-minded people, guided by an expert tutor.
Project Band, founded by Simon Currie, saxophonist with The Manfreds since 2001, does exactly that.
Project Band welcomes players of saxophones, flute, clarinet, brass plus piano, guitar and rhythm section aged 16+ to play modern pop, soul, funk and jazz in an enjoyable and nurturing band setting.
All the musical arrangements and backing tracks used are available on the Project Band website, so sight-reading isn’t necessary.
There will be plenty of scope for confident players to develop improvisation skills in the sessions too.
Tunes like Happy (Pharrell Williams), Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars), Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) and I Shot the Sheriff (Eric Clapton) join many more in the Project Band repertoire.
Each set of sessions will feature a different mix of new tracks and old favourites.
Tutors Simon and Damian have a wealth of experience between them, having played with many band greats and pop icons over the years as well as teaching and running their own groups.
Project Band runs termly over 13 weeks of two-hour sessions, finishing with a concert.
Established venues in Newbury and Abingdon will be joined by Southampton beginning in the New Year.
Trial sessions are available.
Visit the Project Band website
to find out more www.projectband.co.uk
July’s brass and silverbands are:
Sunday: Watership Brass
Sunday, July 23: Ramsbury Silver Band
Saturday, July 29: South Berks Concert Band
Sunday, July 30: Basingstoke Silver Band
