A Windham resident and U.S. Navy veteran is seeking members for a new band of veterans to support the activities of American Legion Post 148, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 10643, and the Windham Veterans Center.
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| Windham resident and U.S. Navy veteran Randy Kitano is forming a new veterans band to perform at activities of American Legion Post 148, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 and at the Windham Veterans Center. He is seeking about 20 musicians to join the band. COURTESY PHOTO |
“I envision this big band to play at and support Windham Veterans Center events, such as cookouts, dances, holidays, and other ceremonies and events,” he said. “We would play traditional big band and swing music from the 1930s, 1940ss and 1950s, and more contemporary numbers along the lines of bands from Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, etc.”
Members should be veterans from Windham or surrounding communities, or the spouses or adult children of veterans. All will be required to provide their own instruments and equipment and must also be able to read music.
The band is seeking four or five trumpet players, four trombone players (bass and tenor), four saxophone players (alto, tenor and baritone), a drummer, bass guitarist, keyboardist, several singers, and a conductor or musical director, Kitano said. Ideally, there will also be substitutes and alternate members for each role. Additional support positions may become available as the band grows.
Kitano will be a member of the band, playing the trumpet, and will also manage the band and curate the band’s library. He has been playing in bands for more than 50 years, after he began playing with his junior high school band, and currently plays with the Westbrook City Band and the Maine Pops Concert Band.
“I love music and playing in bands. I’ve played with concern bands, marching bands, orchestras, big bands, brass ensembles and others all my life,” he said.
Kitano was a member of the American Legion bands in Sharon, Massachusetts, and Groton, Connecticut before moving to Maine.
“When I moved to Maine from Connecticut a couple of years ago, I was hoping to find another American Legion band,” he said, “but, finding no veterans band here in Maine, I decided to see if I could start one.”
He decided to begin with a big band, as the typical American Legion band is a concert band, which is significantly larger than the big band format.
“Most other American Legion bands are concert bands, but they require 30 to 35 members, while a big band only needs 18 to 20 members,” Kitano said. “Plus, I believe big bands are more versatile, being smaller and able to play more popular music, such as Swing and Big Band. “If this is successful, I may consider a concert band.”
The exact date and time for the band’s rehearsals has not been determined but will probably be on a weekday evening at the Windham Veterans Center, which is located at 35 Veterans Memorial Drive, behind the Windham Mall in Windham.
If interested in joining the new band or for additional information, please reach out to Kitano by email at [email protected] or by calling 860-328-1477. <
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