As one of the major ensembles of the University of Lancaster Music Society (ULMS),

the Big Band has always had a special place in Lancaster and the surrounding area.
We have gone from strength to strength in the last decade, performing in the bars
and clubs of Lancaster on a semi-regular basis. We audition potential musicians
every year based on their sight-reading, intuition, improvisational ability, and general
musicianship to find the best players possible for the roles in the band. Similarly, the
conductors are auditioned at the end of each academic year.
 
The auditioned vocalists this year are Gabriela Griffiths and William Evans. Gabriela
has the soft subtle tone that was lost in the 80s when "big belt" was all the rage,
reminding us of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday wrapped up into one. William Evans
combines his musical theatre training with his love for the Big Band genre to give us
an upbeat Rat Pack-esque performance mixed in with a very sharp wit.
 
Josh Goddard has been the leader of the saxophone section for two years and has
been in the band for approximately seven years in total. Josh is a skilled pianist, alto
saxophonist, and singer; able to lend a hand to help almost every section in the band
when necessary. Henry Moss is a new addition to the band but has led the trombone
section to be the strongest it has been in the last 5 years. With his great knowledge
of blues, funk, and soul music, Henry is able to put a beautiful raspy sound onto the
top notes, really giving a juicy edge to everything he plays.
 
Edwin Reynolds is also a relatively new addition to the band, but his 1940s tone and
his improvisational ability have brought nothing but joy and awe to all those who
listen to him play. Robert Richardson leads the band from the back with his
incredible range of volume and pitch. Having played in some of the finest brass
bands in the country, Robert has developed a keen eye for detail and puts it to use
leading his section through harder and more adventurous music.
 
Finally, powering us through from the back of the room is Jeremy Morgan, our
drummer extraordinaire. With a swing groove that would make Buddy Rich take
notice, this guy is the cornerstone of the Big Band and has really allowed the band to
take the shape it has today. With these key players allowing the band to play more
difficult music and reach new heights, the band has taken a step back from some of
the classic Big Band arrangements, favouring more modern takes on classic songs.
However, all your favourite tunes will be in there, just with a few unexpected twists
attached. Come along and enjoy the show!
PLAYER’S LIST

Conductors:
Matthew Clare
Saday Lakhani

Vocalists:
Gabriela Griffiths
William Evans

Saxophones:
Josh Goddard (Lead Alto)
Lily Wearden (Alto 2)
Elly Spiers (Alto 2)
Chris Williams (Tenor 1)
Andy Walker (Tenor 2)
Vanessa Woffindin (Tenor 2)
Menai Lamers James (Baritone Sax)

Trombones:
Henry Moss (Lead Trombone)
Kirsty Brown (Trombone 2)
Alex Warwick (Trombone 3)
Harry Smith (Bass Trombone)

Trumpets:
Robert Richardson (Lead Trumpet)
Julian Shield (Assistant Lead Trumpet)
Edwin Reynolds (Solo Trumpet)
Georgia Williams (Trumpet 3)
Henry Boyle (Trumpet 4)

Rhythm:
Chris Holloway (Keyboard)
Luke Jeeves (Rhythm Guitar)
Dom Bowyer (Bass Guitar)
Jeremy Morgan (Drums)
SETLIST

Caravan – Juan Tizol & Duke Ellington; arr. Matthew Clare

When You Wish Upon A Star – Leigh Harline & Ned Washington; arr. Callum Au

The Birth Of The Blues – Ray Henderson, Lew Brown, & Buddy DeSylva; Sammy
Davis Jr.
MATTHEW BIO

Matthew Clare, who is approaching the end of his third year as the conductor of the
Big Band, is a former musician for The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s
Theatre, conductor of the National Youth Music Theatre, and resident Soul and
Motown trumpeter for The Soul Convicts. Matthew has almost 15 years of live
performance experience as a function player and has performed at venues across
Europe, with highlights including having played alongside or as part of support acts
for George Benson, Madonna, Travis, The James Taylor Quartet, Cascada, Radio
1's Matt Edmonson, Soweto Kinch, Hot 8 Brass Band, Britain’s Got Talent’s Ella
Shaw, The Voice's Kiki DeVille, Fuse ODG, and Simply Red's Ian Kirkham.
Matthew’s love of the Big Band genre started when he joined the Lancashire
Schools’ Jazz Orchestra at the age of 9, which, alongside following and working
under trumpeters including Dan Houghton, Andy Greenwood, Ryan Quigley, and Mic
Gillette, shaped Matthew into one of the finest Bebop trumpeters in the North West.