Classic cars, wedding celebrations and a addition to the BRASS FUSION family were all highlights in 2015.
Love changes everything
10 April 2015
BRASS FUSION was delighted to be part of a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony at Crockstead Farm Hotel near Halland.
The group played Love Changes Everything for the arrival of the bride and Handel’s ever-popular Queen of Sheba for the departure of the happy couple.
The band also entertained guests as they arrived and during celebratory drinks.
Brass and classic cars
14 June 2015
A new audience and venue for BRASS FUSION. The group played for the first time at the popular Classic Car Show at Middle Farm, between Lewes and Alfriston, in East Sussex. One of the cars presented a perfect photo opportunity (see above).
Cream teas and summer music
27 June 2015
BRASS FUSION entertained visitors to Henfield Church Fete with three mini concerts from the group’s 2015 repertoire.
During the second break, the players cooled off with a cream tea in the shade.
Popular prom date
28 June 2015
BRASS FUSION’S prom night has fast become a top date in the Henfield calendar.
The popular mix of Proms night favourites and entertaining music pulled in big crowds again this year.
As usual, the evening featured local mezzo soprano, Sidonie Winter, who led the singing in Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory.
Thanks to Brian Grindall, BRASS FUSION’S resident compere.
An American celebration
4 July 2015
BRASS FUSION played a US-styled programme to entertain a sunny Independence Day fete at St Peter’s Primary.
The group donned Stars and Stripes ties and hats to match the theme.
Warm reception on a cool bandstand
12 July 2015
The weather was gloomy but that didn’t put a damper on BRASS FUSION or the audience at Eastbourne Bandstand for the group’s Sunday-afternoon concert.
The new programme of familiar music and pieces written specially for the group got feet tapping and hands clapping.
The varied band items were interspersed with solos from Martin Buss on cornet (Hejre Kati), Sian Buss on bass (Happy Hippo, pictured right) and the duet Dueling Banjos, featuring Martin and Paul Labus (pictured left).
Driving Force, an original piece by BRASS FUSION’s resident composer, David Hughes, got its bandstand debut, along with David’s arrangements of Put Your Hand in the Hand and Swing Thing.
The programme also included Hot Stuff, Love Changes Everything, All That Jazz, Gangnam Style and Rise of the Phoenix.
Special thanks to Richard Slyman who compered the concert.
Dancing on the terraces
9 August 2015
BRASS FUSION’S entertaining mixture of jazz, Latin, swing, blues, pop and rock had the audience dancing in the aisles at Rottingdean Terraces.
The fabulous weather and beautiful seaside setting helped to pull in an enthusiastic capacity crowd.
And after a concert including Down Bourbon Street, Marching the Blues, Barbie, Swing Low, Penny Lane, and Embraceable You, the audience didn’t want to say goodbye.
Special thanks to compere, Brian Grindall, and to drummer Dave Stewert, playing his last concert as a member of BRASS FUSION.
Toe-tappers at donkey derby
6 September 2015
BRASS FUSION returned to Polesden Lacey for the National Trust fundraising event with a local Lions group.
Two mini concerts wowed the vast crowds enjoying the sunshine on the lawns outside the house.
The programme, which included Rise of the Phoenix, Hot Stuff, Penny Lane and Duelling Banjos set feet tapping among older members of the audience, and got children dancing alongside the players.
100 years of the WI
12 September 2015
BRASS FUSION was proud to help West Sussex women celebrate 100 years of the WI.
The group accompanied WI members from across the county in a two-hour show marking highlights from the past century through music, sketches and monologues.
BRASS FUSION played music from across the decades, including Keep The Home Fires Burning, Run Rabbit Run, Fly Me To The Moon, Things Can Only Get Better, Blue Moon, medleys of folk and Beetles songs, and, of course, Jerusalem and Sussex By The Sea.
BRASS FUSION goes Christmas shopping
7 November 2015
BRASS FUSION entertained early Christmas shoppers in the Grandstand at Brighton Racecourse.
This was a new event for BRASS FUSION and the group was able to make full use of the Sounds of Christmas book, which arranges traditional festive music in the style of marches, waltzes, calypso and ragtime.
Popular event in advent calendar
28 November 2015
BRASS FUSION’S joint concert with the Bothy Singers has already become a key event in the festive calendar, marking the beginning of advent.
The groups’ concert at Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint, included a mix of Christmas music with popular numbers from their 2015 repertoires.
BRASS FUSION’S sets included Radetzkiana, a swung arrangement of the Radetzki March, and the rock version of Bach’s Toccata in D Minor.
The Bothy Singers’ opened with the James Bond theme Skyfall and closed with one of their favourites, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
The groups combined for the final number Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, made famous by The Andrews Sisters.
Many thanks to Brian Grindall who compered the concert.
Fanfare start to Henfield’s Christmas
3 December 2015
BRASS FUSION’S Sian and Martin Buss and their daughter Amy launched the Christmas season in Henfield with the opening fanfare at the village’s popular Christmas concert in aid of St Barnabas Hospice.
Other members of the group joined to accompany carols and for a slection of Christmas music.
BRASS FUSION goes electric
13 December 2015
Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Home of Legends made a dramatic opening to the BRASS FUSION Christmas Concert. And for the first time, the group included timpani and electric guitar in some of the numbers.
The programme featured the best from BRASS FUSION’S 2015 repertoire along with many festive favourites.
There were also solos from Alfie Hughes (Scarborough Fair, pictured left, and Christine Nonoo (Black Sam) and duets by Martin Buss and Andy Hodges (Teleman for Two) and Martin Buss and Ruth Hayhurst (Don’t it make your brown eyes blue).
Thanks to Brian Grindall who compered the concert and also bought Home of Legends for the group, and to Mark Goodson and Nick Hollick on percussion. Thanks and welcome to Ben Godwin, who joins the group on bass guitar.
Count down to Christmas
19 December 2015
On the final Saturday before Christmas, BRASS FUSION got National Trust visitors in the festive mood. The group played an afternoon of Christmas music in the packed Dairy Courtyard at Polesden Lacey.
Candlelit carols
20 December 2015
BRASS FUSION’s busy Christmas calendar ended with the beautiful carol service at St Andrew’s Church, now a hugely popular local event.
The group played a selection of Christmas music to greet the congregation and accompanied the carols, which had been specially arranged for the service.
Special thanks to Ben Day for helping us out on cornet and piccolo trumpet.
