I have agreed to direct the 2009 Bix Youth Band at next summer's Bix Festival in Davenport.
After the trials of last year, I have planned major initiatives to put the band where it should be, as a premier youth trad jazz performing group. We will start this November with auditions, and begin rehearsals in January. I promise a wonderful, enthusiastic, talented band that will be a joy to hear and see.
We will establish a website for the band in October, and I'll let everyone here know about when it goes up. Meanwhile, I have posted my email address here, and I invite any comments and contributions from anyone on the forum.
One problem that I will be addressing immediately is the funding of the band. The Bix Society can only do so much; we are going to create our own funding to allow for real life professional experience for the fine young people we will recruit between now and January.
I know it seems like it's all a long way off, but every day the calendar ticks over another day, and we have a lot to do.