The Blamey Street Big Band (or BSBB as we are sometimes called) was formed about 6 years ago by two trombone players with a love of big band music, Phil Horneman from Cooma, and Bob Stevens, who now lives near Bemboka. Both have now moved on from BSBB, although Phil has remained involved as a friend of the band, and Bob is involved in the Merimbula Jazz Festival.

We think that one of Phil's other motives was providing an opportunity for his children to have a gig. At one stage there were four Hornemans in the band, on sax, trumpet, drums and trombone!

The name comes from the initial rehearsal venue that BSBB used, which was the Grammar Junior School in Blamey Crescent, in Campbell. After much discussion among members, we settled on Blamey Street Big Band (we thought that “Blamey Crescent Big Band” wasn’t New Orleans enough).

Ian McLean (former RMC Bandmaster) joined us as musical director about 5 years ago, and the band has gone from strength to strength since then. We perform 6 or 8 times a year, including jazz festivals, private functions and public events such as the ACT Government’s Around Town series.

Band members are a mixed bunch of professional musicians, weekend warriors who wanted to be in a band and old musos who are rekindling past glories, plus a few players from the ANU Jazz School. One thing is for certain, we have a good time playing music we love. Our ages range from 17 to 69.

The band is entirely self funded, mostly through payments for performances, and any money earned goes back into the band to pay for things such as music, sound equipment, rehearsals. Occasionally we even pay the musos for all their hard work!!