Summer Events 2010

Well this summer was even more busy and more diverse than usual. The main motivation was, as ever, to volunteer to provide music as an enhancement or main attraction for community events. Firstly we ventured up onto Dartmoor, down a lane, down another, along a sort of road and then up a track. Parking in a field we then walked over another to a three sided barn only to find ... signs of bustling activity. There was a man with some owls and some other people demonstrating country crafts and, most importantly to all males, a mound of food and the promise of a big bonfire. We set up in the barn on not the warmest of summer days and put our rehearsed plan into action, The music was well received so playing to crowd appreciation we played on ... and on ... and on. That is the benefit of having a flexible approach - meeting an instant demand, immediately. After raising money for this secluded retreat organisation we marched onto the Ideford summer fair where we were the sole entertainment. If Dartmoor saw eight of us in the band for Ideford we had a dozen (which pretty much took up all the village parking before the visitors arrived - thankfully neighbours offered their drives as temporary moorings - one cannot beat the live experience of learning on the job!). Another field entitled 'the millenium green' was the venue and the band huddled under three small open sided marquees bonded together (I meant the marquees were bonded together). Having checked, re-checked, and - hmmm - rectified the power supply situation and then put down as much insulation as we could muster onto the damp grass we were off. Regarding health-n-safety we were on fire (metaphorically!). First we played for the many stall holders, then for the three legged race contenders, then for the tug of war teams, then the audience watched us as we retired to the bar and the area where a nice man was doing a hog roast. We followed this by playing some more until it was clear that proceedings were winding down.

Jack Fear

'We were joined for a workshop by 86 year old Jack Fear.  Living nearby in Babbacombe we realized that in our midst we had a veteran of the Syd Lawrence, and BBC big-bands (to name but two), and radio and theatre 'pit' orchestras.  Here was a man who actually lived and worked through the glory days of London's 'Archer Street' scene (as did Ronnie Scott and John Dankworth).  Mr Fear gave us the benefit of his experience in ensemble and section playing; as well as a magnificent oracle of everything to do with sight-reading and interpretation, he liberally peppered in anecdotes and examples in his well-paced delivery.  After the session Mr Fear gave us additional time in answering individual queries where he clearly displayed his wisdom and experience from 60-plus years as a professional player and teacher.'

The St Cuthbert-Mayne school fete is now a staple only this year we had learnt the benefits of containing the sound under a marquee or tent roof and in not being able to fit the whole band under the one provided, we faced the challenge of playing some challenging music where not everyone could hear one another - which was pretty challenging. The solution was to change the running order and switch to some less demanding good old staples from the past; that is to say: we had to wing it - but fly we did! Despite the need for intentionally set objectives to shape development, just playing out and about live seems to throw up its own challenges. And this year there seems to have been a theme - sound quality and group balance. It is as if the personal terrors of playing music had subsided and having relaxed we all started to get the big picture - and found it slightly in need of attention!

No sound problems at the massive outdoor 'Blagstock' festival. This was the largest scale event of the year and required the greatest logistics. With Pat at the helm all went smoothly and the audience heard large groupings, small and medium groupings, as well as solo's; it seemed as if the audience was constantly shifting as it took turns in being now performers and then listeners.

Brilliant news was the managing to secure the very friendly landlord's very friendly 'The South Devon Inn' in Dawlish. Having driven all over South Devon looking for pubs with what has now become the stuff of legends, the 'back bar' for us to play in, Gary found one - ten minutes walk from his house! So we set up camp for the summer in Scott's 'White Room', a separate function room with no noise / neighbour problems, that he had refurbished and equipped himself. With a constant choice of coloured lights we had a fitting performance venue to fill every Sunday throughout the summer. The musicpeg jams got underway and attended to how to get the best sound balance and also to honing a canon of tunes to be called on with minimum notice; we like Lee Konitz's 'nail on the head' comment: 'I like to turn up for gigs unprepared, and that takes a lot of preparation'. As well as musicpeg gigs Mike Westbrook brought his band for a couple of live rehearsals by way of preparation for their Ronnie Scott's gig. Dave Stephens and Paul Smail did a very well attended concert with their quartet to launch their new CD. And new kid on the block, Billy Bottle, brought his eight piece ensemble with all its electrickery (what with samplers, laptops and all manner of sorcery) again, as a live rehearsal.

Sad to say there are plenty of female (claims to be) vocalists out there but Martine in Bill's band is the real deal. All these gigs were great and one outcome was Billy being hurriedly secured to do some work for musicpeg; the 2011 series will see him actively involved in workshop deliveries.

On a sentimental note, Gary has always hoped that the workshops would serve as a breeding ground for new bands. And this year Brian piloted his small group and experienced the buzz of being a band leader; the band was a contingent from the ranks of the workshop members to a person! But also appearing on the Sunday program was the insurrection, sorry - resurrection, actually - no - insurrection of 'Kind of Jazz'. Originally formed from the ranks of the workshop this new line-up: Philip, Pat, Damian and Martin, played their uniquely identifiable take on whatever music they happened to harvest on their travels. Sad to think that this skillful and entertaining band are finding it so difficult to find performance space and that they lead such busy - modern - lifestyles that playing together doesn't compensate for the energy expenditure in getting together.

The down-turn in enthusiasm for live music was evident at 'The White Room' with the audiences varying between one and twenty people despite free entry. In being a musician there are a few problems to solve that aren't musical these days. Come the end of the summer the lion's share of of the Sunday nights was being taken by Ronnie Jones new quartet (which also consisted of workshop members), with the odd dep or two, as is to be expected through the summer season.

Billy Bottle undertook an interesting project with St Cuthbert-Mayne A-level film studies students, Adam (media man) Shaikh, musicpeg members, and his own band. He took a previously recorded track from his new CD and reassembled and extended the band to create a music video. The most impressive results can be seen on YOUTUBE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq3fZGqc5Nw The scary thing is that next years events may have to be on an even grander scale !!!! Billy Bottle Ensemble June 2010 at the South Devon Arms, Dawlish Billy brought together musicians from the workshop, the Teignmouth Jazz workshop, DYJO (devon youth jazz orchestra), from London, Totnes Collective, Darlington and Japan to produce surely the most daring musicpeg event to date. The guys played flute (sensational sound), clarinet, trumpet, alto sax, trombone (stonking!), bass (solid grooves), two keyboards, violin, melodica, two guitars, drums (tight as!) and Billy and Martine were stunning vocalists ... oh, and a P.A and two computers were part of the line-up!. The style? well frankly everything you have ever heard; it was Sgt Pepper meets Pink Floyd meets Chick Corea's 'Return to Forever' meets .... Rich harmony writing, unpredictable harmonic sequences, intriguing segues, and clever solo's that could had one guessing written or improvised? Rhythmically the grooves were compelling, the textures full and the dynamics subtle; but most of all the music was cheerful and catchy-ly melodic. Billy was the consummate professional in dealing with last minute nerves, the house lighting, computer programming and a mountain of wiring and in dealing out softly encouraging words. Having written all the material himself and only having had two rehearsals with this ensemble he was nonetheless upbeat and his optimism and enthusiasm did the job: everything just clicked and two hours just flew by for the audience and the musicians. This gig was the warm-up for his CD launch gig at the Carlton Theatre on the 12th June.; one gig not to be missed, the landlord of the South Devon even booked two tickets straight after this Dawlish concert.