Setting up a Brass group or full Brass Band for Bangkok.

[barrella]

Calling all Cornet players, Flugal Horn, Tenor Horn, Baritone Horn, Euphonium, Trombone, Eflat Bass, Bflat Bass and percussion players in Bangkok. Thought I would throw this one out.

As a keen Brass Band player in my younger days (championship section at one point) I miss it and well, Bangkok dose not really have a contesting brass band or at least a brass group of any real qulaity. (Heard some hit and miss wind bands though) so I thought, why not try and start our own.

After 2 days on a Facebook expat feed, we have already got 3 players, looking to start a 5 piece at the begining, then move on to a fuller size, maybe a total contesting size band, lets see.
I was considering getting the 5 piece ready for Christmas so we can get out on some gigs for playing xmas music. Nothing reminds many people more of Christmas that some nice brass carols

Inbox me if you are interested with what instrument you play

Don't worry we are all rusty.

[craigt3365]

If you do get something together, let me know! Would love to hear you play.

I did see some Thai musicians last year playing at a club in Thong Lor. I can't remember all the brass instruments, but there were several. The club has closed down, but I'm in that area again in 2 weeks. Will try to track them down. They were playing jazz and old time standards. Great fun.

[barrella]

We are still needing 2 more players, its looking a bit thin on the ground here at the moment. The funny thing about this is, I asked a few bar owners in passing about would they be interested in a brass group playing for there Christmas dinners, all, and I mean all said, "yes". I also asked a hotel that I know has the odd people playing in it every now and again, they almost jumped down my throat with a yes. There is a market here for a good sounding brass group to do old favorites and some modern stuff for sure.

I have not even bothered to try and market this and I am being thrown jobs.

Just can not get the players, it's normally the other way around.

[Sena Dave]

I thought there would already be more than enough Brasses in Bangkok

[sustento]

Work permits?

[barrella]

Work permits?

Leave that to me.

Are you applying?

What Bras Instrument do you play?

[sustento]

I don't. I was just pointing out one of the problems you might face.

[Estrada]

Work permits?

Leave that to me.

Are you applying?

What Bras Instrument do you play?

I haven't had a twang on a "Bra" for years: Do you mean the "Sofiny" Breast Care Bra Instrument?

Edited September 22, 2014 by Estrada

[garyinhuahin]

If you're open to Thai players, Silpakorn and Mahidol Universities have good programs and are turning out very competent players.

[craigt3365]

If you're open to Thai players, Silpakorn and Mahidol Universities have good programs and are turning out very competent players.

Excellent suggestion. I saw a school band at the Hua Hin jazz fest several years ago. They were pretty good!

Many get motivation from the King. He's quite good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjLSuFd3lfo

[Estrada]

"As a keen Brass Band player in my younger days (championship section at one point) I miss it and well, Bangkok dose not really have a contesting brass band or at least a brass group of any real qulaity"

On the contrary, an 158 member Thai brass band won the 2013 World Music Championships in the Netherlands, two other Thai Brass Bands were runners up.

If you want to recruit good players I suggest that you contact Mahidol University School of Music Salaya Campus.

[nzvic]

Good luck with your initiative. Maybe you could work up to doing a "turn" at the Lumpini Park Symphony free concert around Christmas/New Year...Thai talent plus overseas bass/string players and soloists gave us good night.

Son played trombone and piano (jazz/classical) but sadly never time for it now. Being in bands/orchestras certainly gave him good time management skills and a lot of fun/cameraderie. Wonderful how the experienced players encouraged the young ones.

[orpheus454]

"Don't worry we are all rusty."

No, brass doesn't go rusty...

[quandow]

There's a brass teacher at Regent's in Pattaya might be interested, he's quite good. His name is Clarence, look him up.

[CTO]

I played Euphoneum, even have one somewhere in the village, also anything else up Eb trumpet, but I travel too much, but keen to see how it goes. Police, school and Army bands, we won a few comps, used to open hospitals and things.

[vogie]

Work permits?

Leave that to me.

Are you applying?

What Bras Instrument do you play?

I think he is just blowing his own trumpet?

[scoutman360]

Hit the jazz and blues bars. Ask around. Also go to Sukhumvit Sheriton and talk to the band at the jazz bar. Everyone knows everyone. Once you get connected, names and numbers are in abundance.

[sustento]

Work permits?

Leave that to me.

Are you applying?

What Bras Instrument do you play?

I think he is just blowing his own trumpet?

[barrella]

I see no listing of any brass band of any quality or winning of anything from Thailand ever.

http://www.brassstats.com/

I also have talked quite a lot now with the Bandsman and they have researched for me and found not one brass band of any known winning level ever in Thailand.
I will concede that there have been the odd marching band winning things from Thailand and that is a musical world of difference from a competing band for musical quality to a marching band which holds about a 60% score based on pretty walking (even though I do like them)

If you compare the average competing brass band to a marching band, it is like night a day.

I have no issues with Thai players as long as they get involved with us all, in fact I think it is important to have Thai players as the full band, if it gets off the ground and grows, will be a Thailand band.

Maybe it is because I am a brass snob but 95% of all the players I have heard from Thailand except for the one Tuba player I heard about 6 years ago, are about all the same as struggling 4th section southern UK band going no where.

Even in the supposed top live popular bands and musicians on TV, the brass section if they have them and are really playing, all have this very thin non practice tone, or a raspy blasty tone that would get a band nowhere in the competing world but it is a good starting place so thanks for the idea, all help is appreciated.

Please in box me if you want to give it a stab, we still have the same 3 players so far, so one more at worst, 2 more will get is a nice sound for a opening.

Thank you all once again.

[kkflemster]

Have you had any luck with this? I started playing Soprano Saxophone again and would love to find a few guys to play some tunes with. Do you know anybody in Pattaya area?

[SamSipEt]

Perhaps visit Checkinn99 on a Sunday afternoon when they have their Jazz session and see if any of the visiting musicians would like to join you?

[Stradavarius37]

OP needs to get outside the bar districts more - watch a few videos of Mahidol Brass Band and then tell me about the lack of quality.

[Stradavarius37]

Rankings and competitors - rubbish.

[Stradavarius37]

In answer to the nonsense assertions in this thread by the OP.