Caithness Big Band & North Coast Jazz Band At The Weigh Inn

10th September 2006

As partof Caithness Arts Week the two well known bands - The Caithness Big Band and the North Coast Jazz Band will play at the Weigh Inn, Thurso on 19 September 2006.

The Caithness Big Band
Folowing a lapse of about fifteen years, the Caithness Big Band was reformed in 2002 by the late Jim Marshall. The band had originally been formed in the 80s but folded after a few years due to a shortage of musicians available to create the right level of performance.

In 2002, Jim noticed that there had been an influx of good musicians to the area and, with great enthusiasm, set about getting them together for rehearsals. A few, rather fragile, performances followed but Jim's enthusiasm spread through the band and the quality improved. This in turn enticed other good local musicians to join the band.
The band has developed considerably in the last two years and now comfortably recreates many of the famous swing band sounds of the 1930s and 40s. Their repertoire includes numbers made famous by bands such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and, the evergreen, Glenn Miller.

The band has recently performed at some prestigious events including the Royal Navy's 200th Anniversary Trafalgar Ball, the BBC National Big Band Competition and a BBC Radio Scotland programme."

The North Coast Jazz Band
The band are primarily a Trad Band (ergo: the colourful waistcoasts) but can do more west coast cool jazz, especially when they have their singer Maggie Haworth.
The band consists of (right to left)
Bob Morrison Clarinet/vocals
Mike Rand Drums - Peter Dyson piano - John Sawkin Bass - Stuart Whitley Trumpet
Donald McNeil Banjo/Guitar/Vocals - Mark Edwards Alto Sax/Clarinet.

The core of the band was established 15 yrs ago, but the present set up is probably around 5yrs old. They play all over the place...regularly in Caithness and Sutherland, but increasingly Dingwall, Carr Bridge and Inverness.

After all these years their Programme is large and varied and can play all types of functions from pubs, parties, concerts and weddings.