Cornet and brass section players at The Hereford Big Band, playing live, at the three choirs festival 2022

During the 1930’s and 40’s the clubs and speakeasies of Chicago and New York swung to the Big Band sounds of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and countless others. We got to know this music by the radio and by the military bands like Glenn Miller’s band during WW2. This became the British dance band sound that stayed popular in the 50’s and 60’s. Whereas jazz musicians tend to prefer the swinging groove of the earlier bands, the British audience still has a nostalgia for the Miller sound. We hope to offer both. In Hereford, saxophone players Mancell Burgess and Les Causer got together to bring this music alive, with their friends playing brass and forming a rhythm section. Early Hereford bands were called the Paramount Orchestra and the Russ Allen Dance Orchestra which played regularly at the Park Hall Wormelow. Mancell Burgess and Les Causer were Musical Directors of the band with Ray Walters sometimes taking a turn to lead. An early member of the band was Kenny Powell, previously a member of an RAF Band (now retired to grow prize cucumbers!) who brought authenticity to HBB performances! Eventually this became the Hereford Big Band. As the band is well-known for its performances of the music of Glenn Miller there have been some very special 40s events at RAF Cosford, at Shobdon Airfield and at Tenbury Wells. The band has been as far afield as Calne, Wiltshire, Shrewsbury, Llandrindod Wells and Rhayadar A singer is very often available to add that further excitement and interest to an HBB performance. The band has been privileged to include the outstanding singing of Beth Hippard and Lorna Dale, as well as their current splendid and versatile vocalist Terence Rowberry. Hereford Big Band has been led by several further expert Musical Directors, including Pete Groves, Chris White and Andi Licqurish. The band’s current Director is Pete Fletcher, versatile musician, teacher and technician who brings the band bang up-to-date