Welcome to the web-site of the new monthly Sunday night Big Band venue at The Bedford Corn Exchange.

The purpose of this site is to update you of the forthcoming events, the Bands, the music and generally encourage your comments so that this regular monthly event becomes a successful, exciting, enjoyable and truly memorable Sunday evening event that will grow in popularity and establish itself as the showcase of the very best Big Band music and reaffirm The Bedford Corn Exchange as the true home of great Big Band music in the UK.

The idea of staging a Big Band monthly venue grew from the germ of an idea I mentioned to a friend after listening to wonderful Big Band sounds in London, at Jazz at the manor in Ruislip, and a desperate wish to find a similar relaxed and truly enjoyable venue closer to home.

Aware of the large numbers of potential Big Band followers in the Bedford area and the UK and with words of encouragement and help from BBC radio 2�s Malcolm Laycock and BBC 3 counties radio, I pressed on still hopeful that the idea might one day be achieved.

Thanks to a simple advertisement spotted in the Bedford Local paper and the tempting invitation and assistance from my new friends at the Bedford Corn Exchange, as joint promoters, we are now very pleased to announce to lovers of Big band music in Bedford and far and wide (thanks to www), the birth of this new showcase and the very best in Big Band music for your listening pleasure.

As you know The Glen Miller band were based in The Bedford Corn Exchange during World War two and their legacy to the town is the enduring musical memories together with the echoes of the finest music ever performed

Bringing you the complete spectrum of musical styles, the bands to be presented will be drawn from the musicians and musical excellence of top professional Big Bands such as the BBC Big Band, The Syd Lawrence orchestra, the Laurie Holloway orchestra and many other top names, presenting the wonderful sounds and timeless greats of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billy May and many more, together with Big Band rarities and forgotten classics.

With the wonderful surroundings and facilities of The Corn Exchange, the finest Big Band music played by the finest musicians and as a lover of Big Band music at its finest, I totally recommend that you join us every month to enjoy a great evening out with friends old and new, spread the word and help make Sunday Night is Big Band Night at The Bedford Corn Exchange the UK�s finest venue of Big Band music.

See you there.

Best regards,

Mike Hearn