31st August 2010 Bank Holiday No Rehearsal
14th July 2010 Mick Gooch (The Count) Piano Keyboard Player
We are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Mick Gooch, the bands keyboard player.
Mick passed away this morning after a short illness, he was a talented keyboard player for the band for many years.
Monday night will not be same, bless you Mick.
Our prayers and thoughts are with Marie and family at this sad time.
7th May 2010 Brian Peploe (Baritone Saxophone) 
Sadly on Friday Brian passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was a well respected member of the band and he will be greatly missed.
Our prayers and thoughts at this sad time are with his family and friends.
5th June 2009 The James Goff Band now on video
See more videos by clicking on here > YouTube website
The Big Band next concert is on 14th June 2009, see the concert page for more details.
15th January 2009 Don Payne (Trumpet Player)
The New Year has started badly for the band with the dreadful news of another long established respected member Don Payne who died in hospital yesterday the 14th January.
Don was an exceptional trumpet player and featured on the bands CD, we will miss him dearly.
Our prayers and thoughts at this sad time are with Don’s family.
2nd January 2009 Nick Dytham (Bass Player)
Sadly Nick passed away yesterday afternoon after battling with cancer; Nick had a long distinguished musical career and was a well respected member of the band, he will be greatly missed.
Our prayers and thoughts at this sad time are with Nick’s family.
1st June 2008 Leighton Buzzard News.
Big band sounds out much-needed trombonists
BY JESSICA CUNNIFFE
The future of a band formed in the town 30 years ago is under threat due to a severe shortage of trombone players. The James Goff Big Band originally called the Vandyke Big Band when the swing players first came together in 1978, is missing two trombone players. Band leader, James Goff, said that they are having to recruit deputies - known as deps - to come from as far as Cambridge, Northampton and Bedford to fill in the empty slots for 1st and 2nd trombone players. However, because their concerts are for charity they can not afford to pay people. Mr Goff said: "We do it for the love of big band music. But we just can't find any trombone players. "We still plod on with our rehearsals on a Monday. "But it is not great with half a trombone section. "It also means we can't practice our routine if we are bringing in deps from elsewhere."
The lack of trombone players in the town has also affected Linslade composer Bill Pollard's attempts to put together his own Big Band. Despite success in recruiting a number of musicians to his ensemble Mr Pollard is still short of French horn, cornet, euphonium, percussion and trombone players.
If you are a trombone player and want to join the James Goff Big Band visit www.jamesgoffbigband.com for more details.
(Please see the contact page you be very welcome to join us)
16th April 2007 Norman Sage (Saxophone)
It’s with great sadness to write the passing of the Bands oldest member Norman Sage, at the age of 86 passed away in the early hours Saturday 14th April 2007.
Norman was a much loved and respected member of the Band a gentleman with a tremendous talent and passion for music.
Our prayers and thoughts at this sad time are with his wife Margaret and family.
18th February 2005
The band received this acknowledgement below from a wonderful lady Mrs Valerie Bates organiser of the concert held at the Newport Pagnell Church.
On behalf of the Macmillan Cancer relief Milton Keynes and Newprot Pagnell Parish Church, I would like to thank you all for the concert you did on the 16th February, it was a most enjoyable and a memorable evening. I have had some lovely comments about the event, including cards. The total rasied was £1600 of which £800 goes to Macmillan Cancer and £800 to Newport Pagnell Parish Church.
Mrs Valerie Bates
Sunday 28th November 2004
The James Goff Big Band charity concert at Stantonbury Campus Theatre on Sunday 28th November was very successful. Mr Mark Rolfe, the chairman of Stony Stratford Lions Club presented Willen Hospice with a cheque for £1400.00. Our sincere thanks for your support and take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
The next concert will take place at Newport Pagnell Parish Church on 16th February 2005 for the Parish Church and Macmillan Cancer Relief funds.
Sunday 1st August 2004
Shuttleworth Airshow 
The day got off to a great start as the big band began their performance at Hanger 3 entrance, near the restaurant and opposite where some of the oldest and flimsiest aeroplanes in the world would later make their stuttering runs into the warm humid air.
These included a triplane and box-kite from “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” and a 1909 type Bleriot which was the first aeroplane to cross the Channel.
There were some twenty-five numbers in the packed programme, many recalling the swing eras of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and Count Basie. There were solo spots from several players including John Shelley (clarinet) who “beguined” like Artie Shaw, and Adrian Jarvis whose big bass trombone boomed in “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries”.
Jeannie Dee was on hand to sing the vocals and some of the audience were in the mood for some dancing. The performance ended just before the Harrier arrived with ear-shattering noise to perform its own “dance” in the air, going upwards, downwards, forwards, backwards and sideways. An enjoyable day which we would hope to repeat.
David Cox
April 2004
The James Goff Big Band played to a near capacity audience at Stantonbury Campus Theatre on Sunday 25th April and helped to raise £1100 in aid of Macmillan Cancer relief. Unfortunately Jeannie Dee, the band's vocalist was unwell and her place was taken at short notice by Ms Lennie Branson who made her big band debut, and wowed the audience with her accomplished singing. The band also had some short-notice stand-ins to replace regular members who were indisposed, and played some 28 foot-tapping numbers from their large repertoire.
The next concert is on Wednesday 30th June at Addison Centre, Kempston at 8:00 pm in aid of 3 charities (British Heart Foundation, Keech Cottage Children's Hospice and Diabetes UK)
David Cox
June 2003
Our last concert at Stantonbury Theatre was well attended by a large enthusiastic crowd on April 27th and I am pleased to say we raised around £1100.00 towards the Myrtle Peach Trust for ovarian cancer.
Many people have asked me, “Where is the latest newsletter?”- well, following the loss of John Greenwell there has not been anyone to take on board the organising of it but I am pleased to say that we now have this website, to keep you informed of future venues and information about the band. One of the Band’s friends, Dave Hawkins, has volunteered to set this up and he would be very pleased to hear from anyone via email with suggestions, photos or information on the band, maybe setting up a forum or chat, etc.
Our next concert is on Sunday September 21st at the Swan Theatre in High Wycombe.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes
James
Below are extracts from past printed newsletters.
July 2001
James Goff writes…
The band has played at three concerts so far this year - at The Vandyke Theatre for the Town Mayor’s Concert in aid of the Imperial Cancer Fund; at The Addison Centre, Kempston, for the management committee, and at The Stantonbury Campus Theatre in aid of the Bowel Cancer Trust at Milton Keynes Hospital. Thanks to all the hard work and organisation of the three secretaries concerned, Christine Barlow, June Scales and Maureen Pruskin. Some £3600 was raised for their respective charities. As always, special thanks is due to you, our audience, for supporting us. Best wishes and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
James
January 2001
James Goff writes...
Thank you for your continuing support, which has resulted in several successful concerts during the last six months. After the concert in the Addison Centre, Kempston, in October in aid of the Arthritis Research Campaign, the organisers reported a profit of £1500 for their funds.
We look forward to seeing you all again in the New Year. With every good wish,
James
July 2000
James Goff writes...
It's great to see so many old (and new) friends at our concerts this year, we are most grateful for your support because, without you, we would not be able to continue raising much needed funds for some very deserving charities.
We started sending out our Newsletter as a way of keeping in touch and publicising our activities. Circulation now is approaching 600 and whilst we are pleased to send it, it is a costly item so should you for any reason no longer wish to receive it, please let the Admin. Sec. know.
We look forward to seeing you again in the very near future
With every good wish
James
January 2000
James Goff writes… Every good wish to all our friends for the New Year and the New Century!
Once again, the band has been kept busy, playing at Leighton Buzzard, Thame, Newport Pagnell and Stantonbury and in the process raising much-needed funds for deserving charities.
Our sincere thanks to all those who have supported us - we have very much enjoyed playing for you and we look forward to seeing you all in the near future.
James
July 1999
A message from James Goff
“Since the last Newsletter the band has played numerous concerts and enabled a variety of charitable organisations to raise funds for their particular good cause. The most successful has been the concert at Stantonbury Campus, when £1,500 was raised in aid of the Bowel Cancer Trust at Milton Keynes Hospital. We are most grateful to our many friends who support us so loyally and I would like to thank Malcolm Laycock who mentions the Band’s activities on his Radio 2 programme - 'Sunday Nights at 10’,and also the presenters of Three Counties Radio, Radio Northampton and Radio Essex who play our music. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
James
LIKE TOPSY - IT’S GROWED!
The first issues of the Newsletter consisted of a note sent out to a few friends – now we have a circulation of some 500 and, whilst the initial preparation. Is done by us, the costs of copying and postage have grown to approx £200 per issue. As you know, the band is a non-profit making venture and it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet all the costs involved. If any of our readers would be prepared to help to sponsor the production of future issues, any contributions would be gratefully received!
(This Newsletter was edited by John Greenwell. Designed & Produced by John Williams)
December 1998
To all our readers “Welcome to our third newsletter.
We hope that you enjoy it and find something of interest. Our autumn seasons of concerts have been a great success, playing to capacity audiences at the Vandyke Theatre in Leighton Buzzard and at the Addison Centre in Bedford. The audience at the Guildhall in Northampton was not quite as large but very enthusiastic. Thank you all - you were terrific audiences. In the last newsletter, I invited comments and suggestions and, sure enough, we have received a very constructive letter from Mr David Cox of Dunstable with some ideas which we have taken up. We have also had appreciative letters from the organisers of the Bedford concert in aid of the Arthritic Council, and the Guildhall concert in aid of the Missionaries of the Poor Supporters Association.
With every good wish from the Band and myself to all our friends for Christmas and the New Year. We hope to see you at our concerts in the future.”
James Goff
August 1998
WELCOME TO THE SECOND EDITION OF OUR TWICE YEARLY NEWSLETTER WITH INFORMATION ON FORTHCOMINGCONCERTS AND EVENTS TOGETHER WITH A PROFILE OF JEANNIE DEE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEXT EDITION OR HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO MAKE. PLEASE CONTACT THE ADMIN SECRETARY WHOSE ADDRESS IS ON THE BACK PAGE. OUR THANKS TO ALL WHO SUPPORTED THE CONCERTS IN THE WILTON HALL, BLETCHLEY OR THE PARISH CHURCH IN NEWPORT PAGNELL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
JAMES GOFF
January 1998
WELCOME TO THE FIRST OF AN OCCASIONAL NEWSLETTER TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH NEW CONCERTS, EVENTS AND A PROFILE OF ONE OF THE BAND MEMBERS.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY IT.
(MESSAGE FROM ALAN F. CULL (CHAIRMAN OF THE JAMES GOFF BIG BAND)
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE BANDS ANNUAL DINNER TO BE HELD AT TILSWORTH GOLF CENTRE, TILSWORTH, NEAR LEIGHTON BUZZARD ON WEDNESDAY
Alan F. Cull
