Big band sound to get bigger

Damian McCarney Having already played with big names like Shane MacGowan and Bressie, it's now a big sound that local saxophonist Daire O'Reilly is really after. Daire is the driving force behind Cavan Big Band and is eager to swell the band's numbers to create a smooth full sound that Duke Ellington or Glen Miller would be proud of. Despite the Cavan Big Band being in their infancy, earlier this year Daire led them through a gruelling 10 weeks of knock-out weeks to secure joint third in the grand finale. Now Daire wants to improve the outfit's swing credentials by bringing in more horn players. "What is very noticeably missing from it, which I want to rectify this year is a lack of a row of trumpets, a row of trombones, to get that big brass sound." At present there are about 15 members of Cavan Big Band. He would ideally like up to six saxophonists, four trumpet players and four trombone players, a rythym section comprising of piano, bass, drums, guitar and guest singers. Daire was bitten by the big band bug through the Bailieborough School of Music and is eager to foster a love for it in Cavan Town. "What's struck me is there is no tradition of this type of music, such as jazz or swing. It's all rock 'n' roll and trad. The scene in Bailieborough is very strong, so what I've tried to do is to create that in Cavan and give people who play saxophones, trumpets and trombones the chance to play in public - that's the idea behind it." Setlist wise he aims to play swing standards but throw in a bit of rock 'n' roll - "We're not going to be complete traditionalists, but we don't want to be sell-outs either!" Although his big band heroes are the ferociously talented Brecker Brothers - "when you watch, their fingers go into a haze yet you can still listen to it" - he's more modest ambitions at first. "If we got that far it would be great," says the Big Band director with a laugh. "We're starting off as a traditional big band, but you know what, these things develop over time and you never know where these things end!" Ideally Cavan Big Band would like to perform a Sunday afternoon jazz set once a month and have a few larger concerts towards the end of the year. "It is an opportunity to play, it's also an opportunity to get involved in big band music, which is great when you are in amongst it. The people who tend to be involved in it are really into it, and get a lot from it. You'll get great enjoyment out of it." In addition to his day job as a music teacher in Cavan Institute, Daire is a session musician and has reorded with the likes of Steve Wickham of The Waterboys, Bressie of The Blizzards and most recently piano accordionist Sean Gavaghan. "He had just won the All-Ireland fleadh two years in a row," explains Daire "Don't ask me what sax is doing on that album!" In 2011 Shane MacGowan revived his pre-Pogues punk band, The Nipple Erectors, under the catchier monkier, The Nips. Daire played sax on the recording, however he's not sure when it will see the light of day. "We had great craic doing it," said Daire, "that was about a year ago, but these things tend to go into production for a couple of years." Daire won't have as long to wait for Cavan Big Band to take off. Rehearsals will be about an hour and a half in the Institute once a week and he insists there's no age limits. "If 78-year-olds want to get involved, that's fine." If interested in getting involved in the big band sound in Cavan Town, contact Daire O'Reilly on 083 1169 501.