Soul Band finds its rhythm early

Which adjectives best describe the Soul Band, a Senior Ensemble at the Glen Waverley campus? “Slamming slinky”,“grooving on down”, or just plain “cool”? How ought we describe the ripples of anticipation which spread amongst the audience (or the delightful smiles on the faces of Helen Drennen and Peter Dickinson) when the Soul Band begins to “jam” during the assembly? Perhaps we can best answer through the words of Stevie Wonder: We will be jamming to the break of dawn!

Heady from its triumphant 2012 performance season, the Soul Band kicked off the new school year with its usual trademark flair and funky vibes. The band boasts a line-up of four talented vocalists backed by a fiery five-piece horn section, while a rock-solid rhythm section provides a relentless backing groove. Soul Band offers up a dizzying variety of tunes. A typical performance takes the listener on a musical voyage from old-school Motown to Disco-Funk while allowing brief layovers in the islands of Jump Blues and Latin Jazz. As Laura Karantonis, roustabout and devoted follower has said: The Soul Band is a sophisticated, talented and incredibly creative group of people who create a unique blend of fun- infused sound that resonates with audience after audience.

Indeed, 2012 was a year of success for this upbeat ensemble, with performances at Gertrude’s Brown Couch and Leonda on the Yarra being highlights. The Gertrude’s performance was recorded for posterity, and is available in CD format. This year the band is further challenging itself by broadening its repertoire, and collaborating with strings players to produce a unique rendition of Jamiroquai’s Too Young to Die.