Nighthawks on hunt for tuba player
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A NORTH band manager has put out an urgent appeal for a tuba player.
Musician Carl Spencer, who lives in Dornoch, runs Spencers Nighthawks, an eight-piece, 1920s band with a long history and known for its jazz, ragtime and early swing sound.
Mr Spencer put together a new line-up of the band after moving north in 2016 and the group has been meeting weekly to practice in the Perrins Centre, Alness.
The musicians, who come from across the north, have already played at one gig in Elgin, which went well with the band being well received.
But, with a number of other gigs lined up, including one at the Falls of Shin in mid-summer and in Inverness Cathedral in August, tuba player Neil Wallace had to reluctantly leave because of other commitments.
Mr Spencer said it was a major blow as the deep notes of the tuba, the largest and lowest pitched musical instrument in the brass family, was vital to the band’s sound.
“We can’t take on any gigs at the moment without a tuba player,” he said.
Formerly a musical director with Yamaha, Mr Spencer moved to Dornoch after falling in love with the area during holidays.
He initially played with the Ness River Rhythm Kings before re-forming Spencers Nighthawks.
Mr Spencer has done his best to find a replacement tuba player and even went so far as to contact the president of the Scottish Brass Band Association in the hope the organisation might be of help.
But he has had no luck so far and is now hoping that readers of the Northern Times might know of a tuba player. Mr Spencer can be contacted at: spencers.nighthawks@virgin.net
