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About Gregg Moore's workshops with The Carnival Band, (March - April, 2003) in Vancouver, B.C., Canada:I had a vision to start a big, freewheeling community band. It was up and running over the years in various forms, but needed a kickstart. Since there was nothing else like it nearby, I was dialoguing with bands internationally. I needed someone who knew how to synch horns and drums up together, and there were a lot of bands whose sound I liked. After many enthusiastic emails, I got hooked up to Gregg Moore in Portugal. He immediately shipped out a package of charts and recordings, and I knew I'd hit the mother lode. This was the guy! A champion for the world of alternative community music. I learned about his 20 years with a similar band in Amsterdam, and his exile from the art-jazz scene to go work with folk choirs and youth groups in rural Portugal. On impulse, I raised travel money from the Federal Government and flew Gregg over for three weeks of public workshops - even though we'd never met, and only spoken briefly by phone. Sometimes importing an artist from "outside" can have a big impact, and this turned out to be the best move we could have made. Gregg is a masterful player, arranger, and teacher, and fiercely dedicated to making music useful and accessible. For three weeks, we all worked like hell, with Gregg the driving force. Directing musicians is like herding cats, but Gregg's enthusiasm and jovial work-ethic inspired players who might never have worked so hard on their music otherwise. He directed with discipline, a wry humor, passion for the music, and the patience to encourage beginner players. He demonstrated most parts himself on tuba and trombone! Plus he worked like a mad fiend, writing for every need, from simple pop, to challenging speed-brass, to eclectic roots music sourced from every corner of the world. He has an encyclopedia of original charts, too, so for world music he's got quite a bag of tricks. I'm not kidding - we can be an unruly bunch, and Gregg was incredibly game - and generous to the max. He dove into it all with relish, even jumping in for our parade and stage gigs. He loved the experience, and it was clearly a big charge to come from the mountains of Portugal back to the wacky West Coast. So what was the outcome? The workshops worked like a charm: the band was invigorated with stronger technique and new appreciation for world music. We picked up some new players, and some new arrangements that soon became core to our repertoire. We even hooked up with our sister band, Fanfare v.d. Eersteliefdesnacht in Amsterdam, over a two-week European tour in 2003! It's a treat to have Gregg Moore back on this continent after 30 years, and within spitting distance. Gregg is one of just a handful of people in the world who are passionately dedicated to the survival of community music. I hope to cook up more projects with him in the near future, and I recommend him highly. -Dan Vie Back to Bandemonium | |||||||||||
