BURLEY Big Band is now one year old, but not everyone knows about the band or how it was formed, writes David Luckett.

Most people probably visualise a band as comprising four or five singers or musicians, performing at a rock concert. There are, of course, other sorts of bands –brass bands, military bands, concert bands -all much larger in number. Some readers will know that there is actually a genre of band known as a ‘big band.’ These bands started around 1930 playing the music of the time and continuing through the forties, fifties and sixties, right up to the present day, the best of it is so good that it lives on, not least here in West Yorkshire. Musicians love getting together to play this music and their audiences are rediscovering the big sound of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones a rhythm section and a vocalist all in ‘full cry,’ recreating the music of great bands such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman.

That is, until Covid struck. Lockdown led to the demise of a number of big bands, among them the Bill Cross Band in Yeadon, the JB Big Band in Wrose and a third band formerly based in Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Post lockdown a number of musicians from these bands got together to form a new band. Burley-in-Wharfedale Social Club kindly offered their concert room, and so the Burley Big Band was formed.

The band’s members are all top flight musicians, some having played with the very best bands in the UK. Some have taught at Leeds College of Music, some are composers and arrangers in their own right and regularly have their work performed on the BBC.

The repertoire is wide ranging. ‘Swing,’ Latin and rock styles all feature and the band has its own vocalist. The Burley Big Band is thus a ‘good listen.’ Above all, though, it is a band to dance to, whatever your level of accomplishment. All the styles on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ are in the Band’s repertoire and much of the music can be simply ‘jived’ to.

Burley Big Band performs at the social club each Wednesday night, starting at 8.15pm except the last Wednesday in the month. There is no admission charge.

For more information see the Burley Big Band Facebook page.

You'll be given a warm welcome if you go along and try it all out and listen, dance and enjoy a drink in very comfortable surroundings.