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LATEST NEWS

 

4 May 2012:  BRASS MONKEY SIX-PIECE - CAPTURED LIVE!
The revitalised Brass Monkey, with our two trumpeters, was recorded and filmed during our April tour for a live CD / DVD. The two disc package will be released by Park Records later in the year. Watch this space for more details as they are known.

If you missed our glorious rebirth in April, you can still catch us in full flight at festivals at Southwell (June 3rd), Chippenham (June 4th), Sidmouth (August 7th), and Towersey (August 25th).

13 Apr 2012:  THE PIRATES - In An Adventure with Scientists
The new Aardman Animation film is directed by Peter Lord - a former Brisol Morris Man and still a keen folkie. Following various secret manoevres over the last couple of years, it can now be revealed that in the few moments when "Pirate with Accordion" is on the screen, the accordion you hear is played by Mr Kirkpatrick.

There are lots of other bits when an accordion is on the soundtrack, played, tragically, by another hand, and the music was scored by composer Thedore Shapiro, so it's not JK's usual sort of noise. But this is definitely one for the pub quiz..............

28 Feb 2012:  CHANGE OF AGENCY - BOOKERS PLEASE NOTE!
For the last few years, the agency that fixes my gigs - Routes Music - has been run single-handedly by Sue Webster, under the umbrella of the various enterprises run by Chris Jaeger at The Swan Theatre in Worcester. Chris and Sue have agreed that the time has come to separate off the agency from Chris' other interests, and from this week, Sue is going it alone.

So from now on, anybody out there wanting to book John Kirkpatrick needs to go through:
Sue Webster Music, 62 Windsor Avenue, St Johns, Worcester, WR2 5NB.
Tel: 01905 312016
Website and email addresses will follow shortly, but meanwhile all phone calls and emails to the old contacts will be automatically forwarded.

28 Jan 2012:  BRASS MONKEY - THIRTY YEARS OF SHEER BLISS!
We've worked out that it's thirty years since the five of us first appeared under the name "Brass Monkey". Before that, there was a duo with Messrs Carthy & Kirkpatrick ranging around for a couple of years, which grew into a trio with trumpeter Howard Evans, which gradually grew into a quintet with Martin Brinsford and Roger Williams. For a while there would be a random selection of threes, fours, and fives from gig to gig, but once we'd hit on our glorious title, "Brass Monkey" always meant all five of us.

After the sad death of Howard Evans in 2006, we weren't sure whether we could carry on or not. We did a small number of forays as a four-piece, but quickly realised that this way madness lies. So in 2009, Roger's old pal Paul Archibald came in with his glorious trumpet playing to bring us back up to our full complement, and the world was our lobster.

When Paul's many commitments ( take a deep breath and look up his dazzling web-site - we are not worthy.....) caused an occasional absence, he sent along a former student of his - Shane Brennan. We all thought this would be a ghastly idea, until we saw how brilliantly and effortlessly Shane did the business.

Shane will be the sole trumpeter at our appearance at Cheltenham Folk Festival on February 12th. But for our April tour, and the festivals we're doing during the summer, both Paul and Shane will be on stage to make Brass Monkey a six-piece band. There can be surely no better way to celebrate this milestone in the band's history. We'll be tickling up a few old hits, as well as re-vamping some of the current repertoire. Our approach might not be everybody's cup of tea, but at least it will be loud!