Blake’s Heaven Big Band are delighted to announce we’ll be back on stage, in person, live and raring to go! We’ve missed live gigs so much and can’t wait to return!
We’re playing a Jazz Big Band Double Header with The Velvet Tones on Thursday 21st October at:
Free entry – live music starts at 8pm!
Just a short post to say our forthcoming gig at Woodley has been postponed due to the Covid-19 situation. We’re hoping to reschedule this once everything returns to normal.
In the meantime, we’re staying at home, staying safe, and preparing some new charts ready for when we return!
Look after yourselves, and we’ll see you soon…
‘EVOLUTION’
Since music began, it has transformed and sculpted life as we know it. Where an idea is born and then reproduced in another’s perception, music fulfils so many parts of our lives; without us even knowing it. Here is a production of music throughout time using Big Band as the vehicle taking you on a journey from where music began to where it is today. All with Nicholas Blake’s influences and arrangements to bring you the 21st century Big Band.
Brace yourselves for two wonderful Blakes Heaven Gigs…in one day!
Come and join us in the picturesque village of Lechlade on Thames on the edge of the Cotswolds. We will be playing two sets in the ‘beer garden’ from 3pm. The first set will have some classic and original swing tunes and the second set will be rammed full of original Nick Blake funk charts.
Hopefully the sun will be out and you can come and sit by the riverside, sip a pint, grab a hot dog and enjoy Oxfordshires finest Big Band.
Yes, we’re playing Woodstock! Come and join us from around 6.15pm-6.30pm onwards in the Market Place of Woodstock for a fun festival atmosphere and some great live music.
We’ll be getting people off their seats and dancing in the aisles with a selection of funky, groovy tunes.
Join us at the Shepherds Pub (our home territory!) in Ewelme, Oxfordshire on Sunday May 4th from 5pm -7pm for some Blake’s Heaven ‘Mini Band’ goodness.
Our ‘Mini Band’ is a reduced version of the Blake’s Heaven full band and offers smaller venues an alternative musical option whilst retaining the original tunes and sound of Blake’s Heaven.
GIG Address: The Shepherds Hut, The Street, Ewelme OX10 6HQ (5pm-7pm)
http://www.shepherdshutpub.co.uk/
The Shepherds Hut, Ewelme, Oxfordshire
We had a great time down at Dawkes Music on Saturday April 12th. We performed as part of their National Learn To Play Day celebrations with the idea of encouraging some new players to take up an instrument.
We had a couple of guest members in the band covering for our usual players who had other commitments. Ian Bailey helped out on Alto Sax, Karen Straw on Trumpet and Pete Cater took care of drumming duties. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Ian, Karen and Pete for coming down and putting in a shift for us 🙂
Take a look at some pictures from the day, including the 5 Baritone Sax Section for our tune “Chukin’ It Down”…
Ben Greenslade-Stanton mid solo on Trombone
Nick Blake & Pete Cater funking out
5 Baritone Sax Section on our tune “Chuckin’ It Down”
More Baritone Sax action!
It’s gig time down in Maidenhead at Dawkes Music. We’ve played at this venue a few times now and it’s always been great fun and a packed house. Dawkes provide the gig free to the public so families can come and see the full range of instruments and live music on their doorstep.
This year we’re playing as part of the ‘National Learn To Play Day’ – this is a country-wide scheme run by the charity Music For All and music shops up and down the country offer free music lessons throughout the day. Our good friends at Dawkes also erect a stage and put on some live music to really get people inspired.
The Gig starts at 1pm – please click here for full details – postal address is SL6 8BT
See a video from a past gig we played at Dawkes. This is featuring UK Sax Stars Simon Spillett & Simon Bates, plus a very special guest appearance from US Trumpet great Bobby Shew: