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Marian's Page
As can be seen from the pictures, not only am I chief cook, bottle washer, laundress and valet for the Brown Family Band (and I do tend to be the chauffeur returning from gigs--due to the lead vocalist having to regularly lubricate his vocal chords with shandy or guinness) I also look after one cuddly donkey called Jerry and a flock of 21 "very free range" bantam chickens; which no doubt accounts for my white hair.
As I point out at the beginning of most of our gigs, the average age of the band is only 32 which is very comforting, if surprising. In the words of Anne Robinson "I am the weakest link" as I'm more used to playing behind the congregation in church, where I can't see the whites of their eyes. I'm happy to relate that, all the audiences we've played for so far have been very kind and friendly and we've had lots of positive feedback (including over 250 thank-you letters after we did a Celtic workshop for the U.S.A.F. Middle School at Lakenheath)
In the band I play the Descant and Soprinino recorders and provide backing vocals if required.The instruments are made from pear and rosewood respectively and have a more mellow tone than the usual school plastic ones, which can be a bit shrill, as most long-suffering parents of enthusiastic young musicians will testify. I have just become the proud owner of a B flat Descant recorder made by KUNG; it's been on order for a year but all good musical instruments are worth waiting for. I now have some tantalizing weeks ahead of me "playing the instrument in" with a restriction of only 15 minutes a day. Hopefully it will be ready for some of the many gigs we have booked for the new year. My attempts to learn the Piano Accordion continued during the summer months last year, when I was banished from the house and sought refuge up at the top of our field playing to an eclectic audience of donkey, bantams, pheasants and squirrels.Jerry the donkey has developed a curious habit of resting his chin on my knee as I play and drifting off in a daydream; I think he absorbs the vibrations better that way, or maybe he just thinks there's another donkey trapped inside the bellows!!
At the moment I'm the caller for our barndance/ceili's with some success--no serious injuries caused to any dancers to date--I always issue a health warning at the beginning!!! It's very handy having Erin, Roger and Adam available to demonstrate any of the more complex movements.They love to show the finale of "Frankie Dettori's Gallop" and I'm amazed how many couples, of all ages, actually take up the challenge. Hilarious to watch--people are such good sports!!
We are looking forward to future gigs--homework, housework, sports, Irish dancing, G.C.S.E.s, music exams, business, and ironing mountains permitting!!
One of my sidelines is taking commissions for 'eulogaic' doggeral poems or songs for special occasions like leaving jobs, anniversaries, birthdays etc. So far I've done teachers, football managers, restaurant owners, nuns, priests, musicians, guest houses and the Irish club in Cambridge. I have also entered the "Newly Composed Ballad" section in the midland regional and All Britain Fleadh and won gold silver and bronze medals.
Contact us:
Email: music@thebrownfamily.biz