Citylife in Lichfield February 2024

In the Spotlight…
This month, Citylife catches up with David Mills and Charlotte Kedge of
Lichfield Arts community jazz band, ASpire.
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• To begin with, could you tell us a little bit about
yourself.
I’m David Mills, the current chairman of ASpire, definitely through
no musical ability I can assure you! I love being involved and, being
happily retired, I have the time to give and love a project. I was a
member of the former jazz band 'Blast Off' under the guidance of
talent-ed local musician Nick Dewhurst. Sadly, Covid meant the band
couldn't continue for several years and at a chance meeting with a
couple of former members sometime later we decid-ed to reform a
community jazz band - this time called ASpire. The name reflects both
the spire city of Lichfield and our aspirations to grow and develop.
We leave the arranging and composing to our musical director,
Miss Charlie Kedge. Having completed her studies at Birmingham
Conservatoire Charlie has led the band from our very first rehearsal
in May 2022.
We now number around 25 members. New members are welcome
however we always need to keep in mind the balance of how many
and what instruments we have.
• Can you tell us, in your own words, what it is you
do?
ASpire was set up with financial support from Lichfield Arts as an
outreach project to pro-vide somewhere for local amateur musicians
from all backgrounds to meet, play together and develop their
musical skills. We meet most Wednesdays at The Bowling Green to
re-hearse and we must thank General Manager, James Crichton, for
providing the function room free for us to use.
This year has been busy for the band. We have played at Lichfield
Guildhall for a tribute to Lichfield Arts founder Brian Pretty; in a yard
at the back of BitterSuite for the Jazz and Blues Festival; in a marquee
at the Fuse Festival on Beacon Park; and on a farm - don't ask! Well,
it was a folk festival and an interesting gig for a jazz band.
We were also pleased to be asked by Whittington School to play at
their Christmas Fayre. To round the year off we played a few jazzy
Christmas tunes at The Bowling the week be-fore Christmas.
• How did you get into the industry? Has this always
been a passion of yours?
This was a complete change for me as Chairman of a jazz band. My
previous jobs were all in finance, although I always had an interest in
music having learned to play the trombone at school. This was a
heaven-sent opportunity for me to get back into music.
With around 25 members we have all come from a variety of
backgrounds - we have a po-lice officer, several teachers, a retired GP,
local government officers, an officer in the TA, a nurse and a retired
accountant. All members have their own reasons for being part of the
band and all share a love of music.
• Can you describe your musical style for us? Has this
changed or evolved at all over time?
I think this best answered by our Musical Director. Charlie over to
you.
Charlie: We as a band cover a broad range of styles. We enjoy
playing arrangements of popular 1930s swing era jazz standards such
as ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’ and ‘You and the Night and the Music’.
However, we also adore diving into interesting rhythms and colours
with arrangements of Latin American tunes such as Enric
Madrigueras’ ‘Adios’. Recently we have delved into music that has a
modern funky twist with completely new tunes composed specifically
for ASpire by myself as Musical Director.
• Which artists inspire and influence you the most,
both growing up and now?
A big influence on the arrangements for the band would be 1930s
classic artists such as Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Ella
Fitzgerald. The band takes influence form the classic big band style of
writing. Broadway and film also play a role in influencing the bands
repertoire, taking songs such as ‘On the Street Where You Live’ by
Frederick Loewe from the classic musical ‘My Fair Lady’ and arranging
it to suit the band. Modern influences on ASpire would also involve
other big bands including The Birdland Big Band and Mingus Big Band
who both have fresh takes on classic tunes.
• How important do you feel that music as an art
form is to society?
For members of the band, it is a feeling of belonging, an
opportunity to get better and, last-ly, of providing entertainment. I
would also add something I strongly believe in is the sup-port which
we give to the lovely community of Lichfield and we have many plans
to expand that support going
forward.
On behalf of myself and Charlie,
many thanks to Lichfield Arts for the
continued support they have given
and we look forward to a busy and
musical 2024.
Visit www.lichfieldarts.org.uk to
find out more about ASpire.