The Jolly Boys Choir – a working title…

The inaugural meeting of the choir took place last month with thirteen blokes turning-up at the Burwash Common Pavilion one Thursday afternoon to sing their hearts out for an hour or so.

Knowing we were all men ‘of-a-certain-age’ I got out the teas and coffees ready to wet some whistles but was a bit taken aback when there were requests for 13 beers – perhaps some Dutch Courage was needed?

We were soon into the swing of it with The Drunken Sailor to be followed by Little Eyes. Some preferred to stay in the chorus but others came forward to sing some solo bits and harmonies and for a first effort it wasn’t bad.

Johnny Nash once said) over where we were headed in the future so our next meeting was planned as more of a social event where we could decide some important aspects like: Do we want to be a ‘choir’, a singing group or just singers? Do we want a name?

“There were more questions than answers (as Johnny Nash once said) over where we were headed in the future”

In fact it was so successful that we decided to do it all again two weeks later. But as the pavilion was in use for local elections we met at the Church Room in Ticehurst where although our numbers had dropped slightly our voices had improved a bit.

At Ticehurst we had a go at Sloop John B and then what could be our ‘encore number’ –Heigh Ho! from Snow White. A right old mix of musical styles!

There were more questions than answers (as

How often do we want to meet and where? What songs do we want to sing and what musical direction do we want to take? This meeting will have taken place at the end of May (so too late for this month’s edition) hopefully at The Lakedown Brewery Taproom so I apologise in advance if the sight and sound of us put you off your beer, scared the fish or annoyed the anglers but I’m sure we will have had a good time and resolved a few pressing questions! What has become obvious is that we need someone to pick up the baton and lead from the front. If you have any musical knowledge, can tell your baritone from your soprano or can at least stamp out a beat then you may be the ‘Gareth Malone’ we are looking for. Although we are enjoying it, it is obvious that we won’t progress from week one without a bit of musical input.

Contact Laurence on 07714 935915 or hlworton@btinternet.com