Wonderbrass as a community jazz collective

Wonderbrass was created through the amalgamation of two projects that I had a hand in initiating. The band has been through numerous personnel, leadership, committee-member, musical and artistic changes but continues to be strong until today. It has adapted to changing conditions in order to survive but retains a core philosophy that runs through its 23 year history, initially a philosophy shared by its instigators but latterly, in 2006, the band sat down and worked out its own priorities and preferred way of operating, creating a mission statement and a set of musical, social and administrative priorities. In this essay I present and examine three areas of activity that I have, as a musical director of Wonderbrass, instigated and pursued. 1. Musical direction of the band and artistic and social philosophy 2. Teaching improvisation in the context of the band 3. Compositions and arrangements created for the band In order to locate this work in an ontological and theoretical framework I would examine related practice (and writings about that practice), some of which inspired the project from the outset, some of which has developed, chronologically speaking, in parallel with the development of Wonderbrass. i would also refer to research I am conducting into past and present band members' experiences, desires and aspirations for their relationship with the band and its work.