JAZZ.!!.Banjo...!!!- The Sydney Banjo bands last rehearsal was on Wed.30th November and the next rehearsal is Wed.18th January 2012... a great evening of toe tappin' music....

The Sydney Banjo Bands last rehearsal shows the group is moving on in numbers...despite some regulars being unable to attend, we had a new chap Dave, learning banjo attend, introduced by Bill Maclean.
Currently the band has 20 members getting "The Resonator" as a member band of  Banjos Unlimited, the US banjo group...
"The Resonator" is the magazine of Banjos Unlimited, skilfully edited by Frank Rossi, leader of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club ...it allows us to access contacts and parts, music etc....
The next rehearsals are Wednesday 18th January and Wednesday 22nd February again at Club Ashfield...5 Charlotte Street, Ashfield, beside Ashfield Railway Station on the northern side.
Then we're playing beside the former Sydney harbour Manly ferry, the "South Steyne"....
See further down for details....
Want to hear and see the band playing....?
Log onto this URL...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw9vPCaRl_g&feature=related&noredirect=1


First up...Seasons Greetings to all of you from DQ.....

I took along my camera for the evening and left the banjo during several numbers to take a few snaps of the band.....
Stroll through them with me....
Left click on the images to enlarge them....

The band readies to practice....

Cliff plays the electric banjo that he built himself.....
Paul Baker, Cliff Parsons and Bill Maclean did most of the lead melody playing....

Makirum and Shardyn....

Tayzin on trombone....

John Bates, tuba...Stephan Simmonds and Ed Condran.....

Ed Condran and John Packham..

Gary McFetridge and Barry Graham, foreground. Gary played some lead and Barry sang several items...
I've arranged for the band to play on the wharf, weather permitting beside the former Sydney Harbour ferry, the "South Steyne"...permanently moored now in Darling Harbour, beside the old Pyrmont Bridge...more timing details later.
The date is Wednesday 22nd February 2012....

As well, we're pleased to have Ted Gerome, prominant player from the Pittsburgh Band Club and who was instrumental in setting up the SBB back in Sydney for three months...he'll be at our next few rehearsals and possibly the Australian Jazz Convention in Bundaberg over Christmas/New Year...
I collected Ted from Sydney airport Thursday morning, by a quirk of fate he missed the rehearsal by half a day....