Bands are being asked to see if they can contribute excerpts from music associated with the mining industry to add to an innovative sound-work entitled, 'Ancestral Reverb'.

The project has brought together Brass Bands England, the climate hope organisation Threads in the Ground and Redhills CIO to ask bands to provide small excerpts that can be woven together with different strands of audio recording.

Sampled reverb

These will include some of the earliest known recordings of colliery bands, new recordings of archive works performed by Durham Miners Association Band and digitally sampled reverb from deep inside the drift mine at Beamish Museum.

Interviews are also being conducted with retired coal miners and their families in the North East reflecting on their coal heritage and climate change. The interviews will be used to create a narrative accompaniment to the soundscape.

The collaboration will enable electronic musician and producer, Bert Verso to create the final sound piece which will be printed on limited edition vinyl incorporating coal dust samples from across North East collieries.

Fantastic opportunity

Speaking about the project, BBE's Chief Operating Officer Sarah Baumann told 4BR: "Threads in the Ground is a fantastic opportunity to bring focus to climate change and carbon heritage, whilst giving our members opportunity to participate in a brand new collaborative project.

It will also enable the Brass Bands Archive to share and celebrate brass band and mining heritage with new audiences."

Threads in the Ground is a fantastic opportunity to bring focus to climate change and carbon heritage, whilst giving our members opportunity to participate in a brand new collaborative projectBBE

Excited

In response, Threads in the Ground Director Adam Cooper commented: "Our carbon heritage is incredibly deep — hundreds of years of graft, innovation, and social solidarity.

And that heritage shapes how we think and act about climate change. We're so excited to be exploring these stories and ideas through sounds and can't wait to hear the contributions of BBE members.

Contribution

BBE members are invited to submit suitable recordings, writing and images before the deadline of Monday 26th August (9.00am).

More information about technical requirements and suggested content can be found on the Ancestral Reverb page on the BBE website.

To find out more go to: https://www.bbe.org.uk/ancestral-reverb