Last night on my way to meet a friend for dinner I ran into the East London Cockney Awkestra, playing a free open-air concert at St. John on Bethnal Green. Delightful fun! Apparently they'd been playing since about 6.30 so I got there rather late, but I bought some pineapple juice and sat and listened for a bit, then got to talking and got my horn out. They were tired, I was hungry, so we packed up after not very long, but it was good to join in. If my horn were lighter and more portable I'd do this sort of thing more often. I still find myself wishing I could play the harmonica, for the simple reason that I could make it part of perma-carry and play whenever I liked.
Open-air concerts are good; open-air concerts so near to lots of vehicular traffic are rather unfortunate, as I don't think most people heard much of the banjo at all (though the clarinet cut through beautifully).
I can't find the East London Cockney Awkestra online at all. I'm not sure if they put together a group just for this event, if I'm looking for the wrong search terms, or if I've happened upon that rarest of rare things, a group without a web presence. I suppose if I want to find them again I'll have to get in touch with the church and see if they have contact details.
3 comments:
Are these the same guys i have just run into in Cumbria?
One trombone, one accordian and one banjo - the accordian player is very tall and dances like a maniac. They were great fun but i can't find them on the web either
That sounds about right, though I recall a clarinet as well he may have been a local who joined in, like I did.
Alright me ol' muckers this is yer very own Professor Eel. 'Ave a look at our new website wot me Auntie Ann made: http://www.cockneyawkestra.co.uk
Right hoighty toighty if I do say so meself.
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