Big Band

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The Dungeon Big Band brings together 17 of the Hunter Valley's finest professional musicians, such as Paul Isaacs from the Funky Do Das.

Having performed since mid 2004, when Dungeon Jazz featured the band in its premiere concert, the Dungeon Big Band has gone on to headline at festivals, conferences, concerts and balls throughout the region and further afield, including performances for ABC Classic FM, Newcastle Grammar School, Lake Macquarie Music Society, Newcastle University Choir, Nelson Bay Rotary Club, The Leukaemia Foundation and the Newcastle Club, and in such venues as The Newcastle University Conservatorium, Newcastle University Great Hall, Soldiers Point Bowling Club, Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre and Newcastle City Hall.

The music performed covers the best of the Swing era, branches out into Latin rhythms and explores more contemporary styles.

The ever-expanding repertoire presently numbers 250, some of which are arranged and composed specifically for the band. Colin Campbell, Leigh Sherringham, Jill Fraser and John Barnes have all provided the band with quality charts.

Included in the repertoire are such hits as:

• Golden Wedding - Woody Herman
• Caravan - Duke Ellington
• Whirlybird - Count Basie
• Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman
• Begin the Beguine - Artie Shaw
• A Country Boy - Maynard Ferguson
• Hunting Wabbits - Gordon Goodwin
• In The Mood - Glenn Miller
• Dirty Boogie - Brian Setzer
• Big Swing Face - Buddy Rich

And originals such as:

• Fuller Blues (Leigh Sherringham)
• Steps in the Dark (Andy Fiddes)
• Innermost Thoughts (Rod Barnes)
• Rosie (Rod Barnes)

The line up for The Dungeon Big Band includes: Paul Isaacs, of Funky Do Da’s fame, on tenor sax; the sweet trumpet of Fiona Watson; Craig Parish on soprano, alto, baritone and bass sax and Leigh Sherringham on trombone. As well as a fine calibre of musician, the Band also, on occasions, calls on talented vocalists such as Lisa Kinna, Julie Wilson, Jill Fraser, Daryl Aberhart, and Zac Isaacs, and special guests Bob Henderson (trumpet) and John Kellaway (trumpet). 2007 saw the Dungeon Big band present a concert at Newcastle City Hall celebrating Dungeon Jazz’s 10 year anniversary, as well as a nationally broadcast live concert for ABC Classic FM. The Dungeon Big Band’s CD, 'Strike Up The Big Band' is available now.

The Dungeon Big Band:

• Craig Parish – soprano, alto, bass sax & clarinet
• Cameron Harker – alto sax & clarinet
• Paul Isaacs – tenor sax, clarinet & flute
• Clint Lawrence – tenor sax, clarinet & flute
• Rod Barnes – baritone sax& clarinet, bass clarinet
• Fiona Watson – trumpet
• Andy Fiddes – trumpet
• Ken Allars - trumpet
• Michael Tierney – trumpet
• Leigh Sherringham – trombone
• Akira Weller-Wong – trombone
• Zac Isaacs– trombone
• Michael Bell – bass trombone
• Joe Cadman – piano
• Brian Saxby– guitar
• Mansell Laidler – bass
• Ben Barnes – drums