Barnaby’s Lounge Big Band made its debut in a curtain-raiser for Coastal Currents in September.

Barnaby’s big band fundraiser for His Place

Every town should have its big band and Hastings has one courtesy of Barnaby of Barnaby’s Lounge. They will be performing in the afternoon next Saturday, 16th, at His Place in a fundraiser for the church’s roof repairs. Nick Terdre reports.

Barnaby’s Lounge Big Band made its debut at Barnaby’s Lounge in Robertson Street in early September, as a curtain-raiser for the Coastal Currents arts festival. Now they are back with a Christmas concert, looking to raise funds for repair work at the neighbouring His Place community church.

The 16-strong ensemble – five saxophones, four trumpets and four trombones, plus piano, bass and drums – is made up mainly of local players, with a few drafted in from Eastbourne, Brighton and Tunbridge Wells, Barnaby tells HOT. He is also pleased to welcome Paul Eshelby from the BBC Big Band guesting on flugelhorn, and singers Rebecca Mason and Chantelle Duncan.

The cause is a good one, and the church’s search for funds for repairs to the fabric has been covered in the past by HOT. On this occasion Barnaby hopes to raise £2-3,000 for urgent roof repairs. Basically the church has to raise grassroots funding of £7,000 which will help it secure matching funds of £180,000, he says.

Barnaby also hopes to get the band playing on a more regular basis, and is on the lookout for outlets. “We have a repertoire of 500 ‘charts’ to choose from,” he says.

Live jazz is presented in his lounge every Friday evening at 7.30pm and Sunday lunchtmes at 1pm. He also puts on blues and easy listening music and last week had a live tango orchestra.

Barnaby’s Lounge Big Band Henry Ward Hall, His Place, 46 Robertson Street, Hastings TN34 1HL. Saturday 16 December, 1.30pm. Tickets cost £12 and can be purchased from Barnaby’s Lounge (01424 256675) or online.

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