Sir Duke 2

As a budding or hobby musician, there’s nothing better to develop your musical skills and have fun at the same time than playing in a band with other like-minded people, guided by an expert tutor. Project Band, founded by Simon Currie, saxophonist with The Manfreds since 2001, does exactly that. Project Band welcomes players of saxophones, flute, clarinet, brass plus piano, guitar and rhythm section aged 16+ to play modern pops, soul, funk and jazz in an enjoyable and nurturing band setting.

All the musical arrangements and backing tracks used are available on the Project Band website, so sight-reading isn’t necessary. There will be plenty of scope for confident players to develop improvisation skills in the sessions too. Tunes like Happy (Pharrell Williams), Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars), Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers) and I Shot the Sheriff (Eric Clapton) join many more in the Project Band repertoire. Each set of sessions will feature a different mix of new tracks and old favourites. Tutors Simon and Damian have a wealth of experience between them, having played with many band greats and pop icons over the years as well as teaching and running their own groups.

Project Band runs termly over ten weeks of two-hour sessions, finishing with a concert. Established venues in Newbury and Abingdon will be joined by Reading beginning in the New Year. Trial sessions are available.

Visit the Project Band website to find out more. https://www.projectband.co.uk/