THE BIG BAND

Formed in Cirencester around 1986 the JJ Swing Band developed from previous attempts to form a light orchestra and a wind band in Cirencester. With the help of the Cirencester Band, I combined the brass of one group with the woodwind of the other and formed this Swing Band. The personnel have changed periodically over the years but several of the original orchestra still remain and some of the brass players still belong to the Cirencester Band.

The Band members come from all walks of life with perhaps a slight dominance of the Teaching profession. we have Salesmen, Civil Engineers, Civil Servants, Ex-Bank Clerks, a Video Engineer, a Computer Engineer, a Welder, a Gardener a couple of early retirees and one genuine retiree as well as some students.

We are all amateurs and enjoy trying to recreate the type of music made famous by the big swing bands of the nineteen thirties and forties. Most of our music comes from these era's but some has been re-arranged at a later date and when we play for dances then we are required to play at least a couple of numbers that are a little more modern.

The total number that attend rehearsals on Wednesday evenings is twenty five, from this number I have to select as well balanced a band as possible, to perform at our various engagements throughout the year, which vary from Fetes, Garden Parties and providing back ground music at Wedding Anniversaries to the full evening of strict tempo dancing.

JJ DIXIELANDERS

Like most of the Big Bands of the swing era we have an integral eight piece group "JJ DIXIELANDERS" that plays Dixieland Jazz and other small group arrangements.