Our Community Bands are central to BlueJam and actually a lot of people identify BlueJam more with the bands that represent us than our workshop programme because they are our public face at many of the gigs and festivals we attend.
Update: Winter 2011: Current bands to join or hire:
Swing Band
This is our latest band, formed out of the Vintage Contemporary Heritage Lottery project we ran 2010-11. We have performed as a big-gish swing band, with players ranging from professional to up-and-coming, in community settings and got a great response.
We hope to run more workshops in 2012 to keep it going.
It is also available as a professional small combo for festivals, conferences and parties and can draw on a line-up of excellent horn players and vocalists.
"Thanks for a brilliant set on Sat. I am still on a high" - Vintage-themed birthday party, Carlisle, November 2011
MD: Jilly Jarman
Festival Band
This is our first and longest running band with many of the same performers in it. It is a high-energy improvising big band which has gone through many incarnations - with singers, with percussion ensemble, as a jazz combo. It performs at community gigs, conferences and festivals with a repertoire of mainly Latin, African, jazz, folk & roots music.
This year was the first year the Festival Band has not performed at Solfest on the Drystone Stage.
MD: Jilly Jarman
BlueJam BigJam
This group started in 2007 and was in response to new players wanting to join the Festival Band - so many we decided to set up a new group. At its heart is a group of great young musicians from Kirkby Stephen and now the band is based there and led by Rob Steels with an offshoot starting in Appleby October 2009
MDs: Rob Steels.
B Jamba - BlueJam's samba band
BlueJam has taken part in parades around Cumbria since it started, either with djembe or samba based percussion. The samba band is now a true community group with players from 2 months to over-60's. It has been led by a variety of drummers including Ben Parkinson, Tom Rigg, Jilly Jarman, Mark Park, with help from Tom Burford, Paddy Higgs, Tom Graves and others.
In Spring 2011 the band was commissioned to accompany Story Giant puppets at May Day, and has now become a self-directed band called B Jamba, already with 5 performances under its belt. The band is available to events locally. Started by Jen Leah it is now led by Jake Heald with support from Mouse.
Blue Acoustic
This was a group that was started in 2009 to accommodate all the acoustic instruments that have played in various processions, festivals and parties over the years. Open to all ages it was for people with a reasonable level of playing skill and tackled a wide range of folk arrangements. It has recently re-started by popular demand and meets monthly to try out new and interesting tunes.
BlueJam Folk Band
This is a now a self-run group (2009), organised by Roger Butterfield, which meets on Wednesdays 7-9 at the Methodist Rooms, Penrith. A friendly space for people to explore Cumbrian traditional music and learn the tunes in a supportive and relaxed environment. New members welcome. This band is in increasing demand for gigs and festivals.
Archive: bands that are no more
Cafe Jazz Band
This is our newest band, formed in February 2009. It came out of a vocal training session run as part of the Vocal Force programme by Jilly Jarman. Made up of BlueJam tutors and young music leaders it performs regularly at Penrith Leisure Centre Cafe and is taking over from the Festival band this year as the public face of BlueJam at Cumbrian events.
Jazz Scratch band
A band put together in haste for Dilston and Staveley Festivals when everyone else was doing exams or other projects. Consists of BlueJam leaders and yml's with assorted hangers-on. Played some great gigs in 2008.
Download parts for all bands here