One of the many highlights from the mighty BCBB's return to live performance after 2 years up on bricks. We started rehearsing this one in early 2020, ready to play it at that year's Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival. It's not a simple arrangement, but on the first run through, it sounded so good and exciting that we all just turned to each other and laughed. We got it more right than wrong, and since reconvening last September, we've been working on perfecting it. As Maestro JB says, it's a chart for Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show band, the house band for Johnny Carson's long-running NBC chat show, written by Severinsen's lead tenor player and deputy bandleader Tommy Newsom.

BCBB - Canteen - 9/3/2022 - Just Friends

A perennial favourite that we've borrowed from the Basie library, a Billy Byers chart. Featuring a tenor solo from Alastair Blackwood and some skywriting from our esteemed leader Jonny Bruce.

BCBB - Canteen - 9/3/2022 - In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

From the library of the Buddy Rich, here's Don Menza's chart of his own composition, Groovin' Hard. And we feel we make it live up to the title.

BCBB - Canteen - 9/3/2022 - Groovin Hard

Dizzy Gillespie's Manteca, recorded at the Colston Hall, Bristol, on 18 March during the 2018 Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival. Soloists: Alastair Blackwood and Kim Roberts (tenor saxophones).

Colston Hall - 18-3-2018

Bristol Community Big Band - Manteca

Dig for Victory Show 2018 set 1

Bristol Community Big Band - Take the A Train - Dig for Victory Show 2018

Oliver Nelson's arrangement for the Buddy Rich band of In a Mellow Tone, played live at Dawkins Brewery, Bristol in December 2018.

Bristol Community Big Band - In a Mellow Tone in a brewery - 16/12/2018

Live at the Canteen in Bristol, this is our version of Doodlin' featuring Richie Batten on trumpet.

Bristol Community Big Band - Doodlin' - Canteen - 19/4/2019

Our instrumental version of Sy Oliver's chart for the Tommy Dorsey band (minus the tax-loss string section).

Bristol Community Big Band - On The Sunny Side Of The Street - Canteen - 17 April 2019

Our debut performance of the classic drum feature, Skin Deep, written by Louie Bellson for the Duke Ellington orchestra, but heard here in an adapted version of the arrangement done in the 1950s for Jack Parnell's band.

Bristol Community Big Band - Skin Deep - Canteen - 17/4/2019

Trofeo de Bolos

A track from our recent gig playing for the lovely dancers at Ain't Misbehavin', featuring special guest Jake McMurchie on tenor saxophone.

Southbank Club - Ain't Misbehavin' 10th anniversary - Catch As Catch Can

Our version of the Ellington classic, with Callum Blake-Symes giving it some Ben Webster

Southbank Club - Ain't Misbehavin' 10th anniversary - Cottontail

Andy Hague's arrangement of this festive favourite.

Canteen - 12/12/2018 - Winter Wonderland

A rollicking run-through of Don Menza's chart of his own composition for the Buddy Rich band, featuring guest star soloist Jake McMurchie on tenor saxophone. The Southbank Club is a lively room, and the dancers are a lively crowd, so it's not the clearest sound quality you'll ever hear, but it's a reminder of a favourite venue and audience, and it captures some of the excitement of those nights in Bedminster. Here's hoping we're reunited soon.

Southbank Club - Ain't Misbehavin' 10th anniversary - Groovin' Hard

The Bristol Community Big Band is an energetic local ensemble that plays a wide repertoire of swing, jazz, blues and Latin big band classics in festivals and gigs around the Bristol and Somerset area.

Made up of non-professional musicians from all over 20 postcodes, we are a fun-loving and inclusive group who nevertheless work hard to be the best standard we can, and bring our joy of swing music to communities around Bristol.

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