The children were buzzing when they got back to our classrooms after the concert and a couple of our classes wrote down some of the things they said about your band, so I thought you might like to hear some of them:

"That was so good!"; "The band is amazing"; "You're FANTASTIC"; "I really like the trumpet in the soldier song. I wanted to whistle the tune."; "We had a brilliant time, thank you"; "I liked the drum player because he helped everyone do the right clap. I also really like the sound of the music."; "We couldn't stop dancing to your jazz"; "I really liked the guy with the double bass. He made me smile and encouraged me."; "I've never heard anything so wonderful."

Many thanks once again for the great concert,

The Blues and Roots Ensemble offer active and engaging workshops to all ages, from primary and secondary schools through to teacher CPD sessions.

The primary aim of the Mingus workshops is for pupils to have a greater understanding of the power and the purpose of music and the influence it can have, using Mingus' music as an example of how one man was able to achieve a greater purpose and social cause through his composing and performing. 

Using different combinations of players from the ensemble, from one musician to all seven, pupils will be guided through the fundamentals of jazz using Mingus' music to discover a range of themes.  Elements of improvisation, composition and performance are all explored, guided by dedicated and experienced music educators.
 

Workshop Feedback 

Staff Feedback: 

"Ed was patient and passionate and his love for the music shone through. An unforgettable experience for staff and students." 

"Ed's depth of knowledge on jazz was infectious" 

"Ed had a great rapport with the children and it was great to see his passion for Mingus" 

"An excellent workshop, which gave the children an opportunity to learn about Charles Mingus, and to perform to other children in the school."