Project Objective 4: Forming A Big-Band
Fourthly, there remains the question of a real, live big-band - what would be the purpose of this? I have already experienced how difficult it is to organise a dozen-and-a-half instrumental musicians, plus a singer or singers, and know I am not alone in this experience. Offering money for the job would doubtless motivate talented, experienced professional or semi-professional players to take part, though money is no guarantee of this, but I am hoping that the existence (by then) of, say, a vinyl record the material professionally performed, will aid the process of recruiting musicians.
Why?
But the purpose of pulling together a seventeen-piece orchestra will be to give one or more live performances of the big band material I have been writing to a ticket-holding audience. It might be a one-off or it might be an initial performance in London followed by further gigs in other venues in other locations. Organising even one such performance will require significant money up front, for hire of the venue, and to ensure sufficient money is available to pay the musicians whatever the ticket sales. A good box-office could mean all such initial costs are fully covered - and possibly more!
A Long-Term Goal
Taking all this into account, for now, I leave it as a not-too-long-term goal, to form the big band and organise a performance. If that is achieved, then the rest, as some Americans used to say, is gravy.