Having fumigated the trombone and sharpened the quill I've been spending time with an amazing bunch of musos, the Lambeth Wind Orchestra. In my boho-military days, characters from which have been turning up recently in happy numbers, we used to relish playing anything that was thrown at us. The Lambeth guys have no brass hats to answer to but a benign maverick of an MD,John Holland,and the likes of his fellow multi-instrumentalist Roger Cawkwell who switches from wagner tuba to post-Miles Soprano Sax in the space of a swift half. As well as the traditional places you'd find bandly stuff, the LWO fetched up at a guerilla club in an abandoned video store the other week supporting the Crumbling Ghosts, HM meets folk and Percy Grainger, and a real morris dancer in the crowd. Great use of the space and nice vibe spilling onto the pavement...
www.lambethwindorchestra.org.uk/
...And so to Memphis and Director Kendra-Boaz-Zentero's first feature. This fab survivor of an artist has just starting a project 8 years in themaking and asked me to set about some underscore, which was brilliantly read through by the Lambeth posse last week with Roger's driving improv atop the 30 other voices. Copying parts in pools of heat wave sweat is particularly worth it with KBZ and LWO around on the case. More on the movie down the line.
Saturday 4 July 2009
Upbeat and Memphis
Some musical oases in the scorching city..
I've lately joined the team at Upbeat , an extraordinary way of meeting a need head-on in the light of experience. Creative Director Phil Harvey decided to be upfront about the stresses of managing a major band-Coldplay-and they rallied behind him to support what Upbeat does, by which time Phil had teamed up with a muso who happened to use mental health services. The place is anything but worthy and prescriptive. I was delighted to at last meet manager Lucia Way, who is a denizen of several rangy initiatives in Camden,with lead faciliator Finn Cheshire,like me a classically house-trained guy turned loose. Finn's own band is going to be one to check, as are the fine artist roster you'll find at http://www.upbeatstudios.org. Please support the major fundraiser coming up in September and keep an eye on the site for their live showcases.
I've lately joined the team at Upbeat , an extraordinary way of meeting a need head-on in the light of experience. Creative Director Phil Harvey decided to be upfront about the stresses of managing a major band-Coldplay-and they rallied behind him to support what Upbeat does, by which time Phil had teamed up with a muso who happened to use mental health services. The place is anything but worthy and prescriptive. I was delighted to at last meet manager Lucia Way, who is a denizen of several rangy initiatives in Camden,with lead faciliator Finn Cheshire,like me a classically house-trained guy turned loose. Finn's own band is going to be one to check, as are the fine artist roster you'll find at http://www.upbeatstudios.org. Please support the major fundraiser coming up in September and keep an eye on the site for their live showcases.
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