Kazoo Band (1960)

Ashington, Northumberland.



High angle L/S of guards Trooping the Colour dissolves into M/S of children and teenagers in the kazoo band marching in a field in front of a small crowd of spectators; the drum majorette, Marilyn Young, leads the group round; all wear white and green costumes and most carry kazoos. M/S of the crowd looking on.



M/Ss of the band marching; we see the drum section at the rear of the group and C/U of a girl playing the bass drum; M/Ss of adults and children in the crowd applauding. Commentator says "Despite the military-like precision the bands have no ties in that direction - on the contrary they're run by a committee of miners (coal miners, that is) who raise the money for everything... in fact the whole idea is unique, although perhaps typical of the community spirit in most mining towns". The band forms three lines and march on the spot as MY twirls her baton; at her signal they stop marching and put their kazoos to their mouths.



M/S as the band starts to play 'Blaze Away'; C/U of MY twirling her baton and we see she has numerous medals on the front of her uniform; C/U of a girl playing a drum; M/S panning along the rows of the band; C/U of one of the girls playing the kazoo.



M/S showing a table with lots of silver cups on it in front of a banner reading 'Ashington Juvenile Melody Makers 1958' held by two older boys at the back and six young children at the front; the crowd stands next to it watching. Commentator says "It has been said that the miners organise these bands because, after long hours underground they can find an outlet for their instinctive desire for colour and spectacle".



Note: there is a newspaper article on file about the 'Widening Empire of Kazoo' and the Ashington Band in particular.
FILM ID:107.33

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