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City of Nottingham Music

About the band
 
The City of Nottingham Education Brassery Big Band is a 24 piece youth big band which meets weekly at The Arts In Education Centre, College Street and performs in concerts, parades, dance gigs and private functions in the East Midlands and beyond under the steady baton of leader, Phil Smith.

In 2002, they celebrated their 10th Birthday with very nearly the last ever concert in the Commodore International in Nottingham, another successful set of gigs in Edinburgh, and a rowdy September show with Nottingham Youth Theatre, Mockingbird Hill. They ended the year with two major gigs: one in the Royal Concert Hall for the Festive Season and the Ice Gala with NYT in the National Ice Arena with a total audience over the two gigs of 9,500.

Ex-Brassery member and now main tutor of Brassroots, Ben Lee, has become resident arranger for the band and 2002 saw his most prolific output. From slow mean ballads to put-those-truckers-in-the-shed-Jolene rockers.

Jumpin' the Broomstick from Mockingbird Hill 2002

The band's style includes Swing, Latin, Be-Bop, Big Band classics and anything else that takes their fancy in big band line up. With three CD's behind them, they have recorded their fourth, but are seeking sponsorship to produce it.

Contact them for further information and especially if you can help.
 
Brasstax - a 5-7 piece combo drawn from the Big Band led by local professional and ex-Brassery member Nathan Bray. Listen out for them playing Nathan's arrangements on the third CD "LIVE-Brassery & Brasstacks"

 
Brassroots - the Jazz School for beginners. Started in April 99, see the photo from the first session above, and has grown since then. They had their first formal gig with Darius Brubeck and the Brassery "Birth of the School" in November 1999 and have played a number of their own gigs since. There are now two bands within 'Roots and many of the earlier members have moved on to the Brassery.
 

Trumpet Solo from Mockingbird Hill 9/02.

Patron: Phil Collins

The premier youth Big Band in the East Midlands Region.