Brass Band Logo

NJH Music Logo

Some of the contents of the pages on this site are Copyright © 2016 NJH Music
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Military Bands

>  A week's work on the
> Eatbourne bandstand opened the vista of what Saga holidays were all about!
>
> As you may know Ken Dennison enjoyed it so much down south that he has
> settled in Canterbury. I have met Ken on a number of occasions and he has
> helped me with conducting and coaching a band. IMHO he is one of the true
> gentlemen of the bras band world and is also the fount of inumerable stories
> (and alledgedly all true!!)
>
> Ted Howard

Dear Ted,

I suppose year after year these jobs must have become tiresome, no matter how nice
the surroundings.

With regard to Ken Dennison - after many years of stability at Coventry under
Albert Chappell, we appointed Ray Farr as MD, and then after he left, (boy oh boy
was that ever a wrong decision), we appointed Ken as our MD.  Ken and the band got
on really well in the early months, but those darned band politics you referred to
in an earlier posting seemed to rear their ugly head once again.  I was personally
a great fan of Ken.  I remember him well as a player with the great Fairey
Aviation band of so many years ago under Leonard Lamb.  Ken often used to talk
fondly of Leonard - a man for whom he had great respect.  Ken himself served in
the RAF I believe.  As he was a trombone player I like to think we got on really
well, and I have no idea why he and the band parted - a great shame.

I was fortunate to get down on a long playing record a solo that was always
regarded as one of the best for trombone called Love's Enchantment.  Ken arranged
the band parts for me and I think I'm right in saying we recorded it in the Abbey
Road studios of EMI one Sunday morning many years ago.  I think this is where the
Beatles did some of their recordings.  Isn't it the studio where their album cover
features a zebra crossing and a VW Beetle and one of the Fab Four isn't wearing
any shoes?  No doubt a list member will put me right if I'm wrong.  That day we
also recorded Tintagel which features solo trombone in that fantastic middle
movement.  It was also Ken who was conducting Coventry Band on our week's
engagement at Folkestone Bandstand when I had to beat a hasty retreat of which I
have written about previously.  A thoroughly nice bloke.

By the way - what does IMHO mean?

Many years ago - when my wife and I only had one small child - I passed all the
exams and medicals to join the army.  The guy in the recruiting office said to me,
"Okay - what band do you want to join?"  Naively I said "Oh the Life Guards".  He
did no more than pick up the 'phone and talked to their Director of Music.  "Sorry
- they're full".  "Well - try the Grenadier Guards then", said I.  He did.  Same
reply.  "How about the Band Of The East Anglian Regiment", he said.  Disappointed
at not getting in a flashy uniform I walked out and abandoned the idea.

Many years later I recalled this story to a school friend of mine, Steve Knight,
who was home on leave from the Band Of The Royal Artillery.  (Steve left Coventry
band as a youth to go and join Yorkshire Imperial Metals Band).  Upon hearing my
story he said "Do you know how lucky you were - they, (the Life Guards), spend
most of their time cleaning their kit never mind blowing a trombone"!!!!!

Never the less, at that time I wish I'd have got in.  I may have learnt to read
bass clef better than I do at the moment!!

All for now .

Colin Randle.


--
unsubscribe or receive the list in digest form, mail a message of 'help' to

[Services] [Contact Us] [Advertise with us] [About] [Tell a friend about us] [Copyright © 2016 NJH Music]