So… what’s up? Let’s talk.

When it comes to music performance here at chingband, we’re always climbing over the top. 2016 is going to move us in new directions as we continue to ramp up our programs and because of this, we’re seeking your help. (Yes you!)

Essentially, you see, everyone fits into two categories.

1. You’re a musician, or
2. You love music.

If you just love music and never got in to playing an instrument, then it’s easy for you to help us. Just share this article with your friends, your family, your coworkers, as many times as you can and indeed, in as many places as you can. Then just sit back and wait until the music hits the street! Easy, right? Try it a couple times by sharing this link:

www.chingband.com/superband

Musicians!

If you’re a musician then it’s going to be just as easy for you, while keeping yourself challenged and entertained. We’d love to have you join in on this adventure – if you read music well and play bass, piano/keyboards/organ, saxophones, trombone,
trumpet, or sing… equally well. We’re looking for the skilled musicians of Brampton to come together in something known as the…

Wait, what’s a Superband?

In itself it’s a catchy name, but what exactly are we talking about here? The Superband is, in our opinion, the natural evolution of the classic “Big Band” coming out of the 40’s yet refined and evolved. Why let swing have all the fun? Let’s face it, there’s a lot of great music out there, and it can be made even greater when juiced up with a lush rhythm section and massively fat (or is it phat?) horns.

What music does a Superband play?

Another great question and we’re glad you asked. The easy answer is “everything”. Take some Funk. Take some Fusion. Explore all of the Latin styles and throw them in to the mix. Find the relevant pop music that is important today and contrast it with some Blues, Soul, or plain old Rock. Stay true to your roots and play some of the Swing classics of the big band era, just ramp them up. Mix everything together and see what comes out! This is not the Big Band of the 1940’s … not even
Maynard’s Stage Band of the 1970’s when it comes down to it. This is the next logical progression of live entertainment for the masses, and it’s the Superband.

Take chingband’s philosophy of member-driven content and direction and now you have a project of epic proportions.

Ok, you’ve got my interest. How about some examples?

Great – we want to hear from you! Samples will be posted soon as the remaining members are added to the project.

Have you got room for me?

Absolutely we do – as we said, we’re looking for the skilled and talented musicians who want to be a part of something huge. Just contact us for more details as we approach rehearsals in the beginning of 2016. [ed.. Rehearsals continue through Summer/Fall 2016, parts available] Reading music is important. We’re looking for amateur musicians located in and around Brampton of all ages with true skill and pure passion who play:

• Vocals
• Bass
• Guitar
• Drums/Percussion
• Keyboards/Organ/Piano/Vibes
• Trumpet
• Saxophone(s)/Clarinet/Flute
• Trombone

If you want to learn more and join with us on this journey, then drop us a line to start!

“Why do I play with the CSO?”

In December 2006, I had major knee surgery. I was to be off work for 6 to 8 weeks while I rehabilitated and then life and work would return to normal. All very …predictable and … well, boring. Being away from work for that length of time gives a guy a lot of time to think about life, the universe, and everything. For example: Why did I stop playing music?

I never stopped enjoying music. I love it! I especially like to witness it played live. I think, and have always believed, music is best experienced live when performed by a musician or a group of musicians. Every live musical performance is unique, and when you hear one, you will never hear that experience exactly the same way again. Even hearing the same band playing the same songs in two different spaces or rooms can have a very different sound. I don’t experience live music as much as I would like, but every chance I get, I will make the effort.

On my 10th birthday, my parents gave me my first real drum set. Blue Sparkle Swingtone, by Sears. They were tired of me bashing on the pots, pans, glasses and plates instead of finishing the dishes. They also bought a dishwasher. In the early ’70’s, the Partridge Family and the Monkees were on TV all the time. That was when I figured, “I could do better than that!” It always bothered me that what you hear on the speakers and what you see the drummer playing on the screen never match. So, I learned to listen rather than watch.

Once I got to high school, I got some better formal musical training. I also got introduced to many other kinds of music. Rock and pop were on the radio, but Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Classical, and Avantgard as well as R&B, Funk, Soul, Latin and the Blues were in the music room at Chinguacousy Secondary School. So much technique, so many different grooves: you just can’t play one! So I started to learn how to play as many of them as possible. I was behind a kit, or in front of a snare drum up to 7 hours a day. I loved it. For my last three years at Ching, I played in the Concert Band and the Stage Band and a 7 piece Jazz Ensemble. I also jammed with friends.

Then, I stopped. Went University. Got a degree. Started work. And after a few years passed me by, I started playing and practicing again, just out of the blue. I loved it! It felt good! My good friend (and sometime jam man!) Tim, went to Humber College and he got to join other Humber grads in a band. When their drummer quit, he called me and asked if I wanted to audition. My time with Waiting For Uncle Jake started a 2 year frenzy of musical experience. I got to play in clubs in Toronto: The Black Swan, The Gas Works, The Blue Goose, The Elmocombo. Rehearsals every Sunday and every Friday night that we weren’t gigging. I loved it! It felt Good!

In late 1994, it stopped. The band went their separate ways as bands do. And I didn’t play with a band again until January 2007. I was rehabbing my knee. I joined the League Of Rock in Toronto and went to their first JAB session on a Wednesday night. That meant a trip to Long and McQuade in Brampton for some new sticks. That’s where I saw … The Poster. The Chinguacousy Swing Orchestra was looking for musicians. There was a number. I called it. Then, on Thursday I went to the Bramalea Civic Centre and was treated to Big Band music all over again. Rock, pop, funk, soul, blues, swing … It was all there.

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The CSO had a drummer so, I said I’d love to play percussion. Next week I’ll get my toys out and come and play. Two weeks later the Drummer left and I had the privilege of playing drums with this awesome group of musicians that were quickly becoming friends. I loved it! It felt Good! And I just kept showing up every Thursday. It became my place to escape the stresses of my working life. I got to hit things with sticks and not get arrested.

It’s been 7 years now that I’ve played with the CSO and I still look forward to Thursdays. It’s not work. It’s fun, and it’s different every time. Because that’s what live music is. It’s unique every time.

Players have come and gone, and some have come back again. Everybody is welcome to play. No one is turned away. That’s what I love about this band. It’s great when you can hear people improve their musicianship just by playing in a group with other musicians. I especially love it when a new musician turns up to play with us. We work out charts together and we get to perform them live.

Thanks to the City of Brampton, we get to play live as a band at least 8 or 9 times a year. We even bought an inflatable band shell for Chinguacousy Park so we could use the natural amphitheater there for Sunday night summer concerts. Music is best experienced live. And now the Citizens of Brampton have another free venue to experience live music. I love it! It feels Good!

This Saturday, October 4th, 2014 I will turn 52 years old. And I will be celebrating my birthday by playing with the CSO at the Brampton Farmers Market, downtown Brampton from 11am to 12 pm. It will have been 42 years since recieving my first drum set. Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad.

Christopher L. Worsnop,
Drummer, Chinguacousy Swing Orchestra.

Many Brampton residents may have received a calendar in December from the City showcasing the diversity of Brampton, specifically noting all of the former communities that make up what we know as Brampton today.

Amalgamation took place in 1974 and the most notable was the merger between the partial Townships of Chinguacousy, Gore, and the Town of Brampton. Rumour has it (as yet unconfirmed) that the new City would be known as “Brampton” simply because “Chinguacousy” was too hard to pronounce, or spell (or both); and “Gore” was simply… Gory. The new City settled in to the former Chinguacousy Civic Centre
as their headquarters – the downtown (with City Hall) as we know it today wasn’t built until much later in the 20th century.

So, what’s in a name? Whether it be Chinguacousy, Brampton, Bramalea, Claireville, Ebenezer, Victoria, Springbrook, Churchville, Coleraine, or Huttonville, we are all now a part of the grand City of Brampton; but these names continue to reflect our heritage and where we came from. A small portion of pride for the many geographic groups of citizens who now reside under the simple, memorable, and well-known banner, of Brampton.

It’s a larger portion of pride for the Chinguacousy Bands of course. While remaining an official affliate to the City of Brampton, and a Civic band by our very nature, we will never change our name. It’s just a great reminder of where we came from.

Chinguacousy: “Land of the Tall Pines”