Working for the chance to play

WHAT do you do when Plan A doesn’t work out the way you planned? You go with Plan B. At least that is what modern jazz quartet Plan B did.
You may have caught the catchy local band at one of their monthly gigs at the Harbour Wine Bar or the Noosa Marina Market where they belt out their jazzy tunes.
Plan B keyboardist Brian Ford said the band had been together for four years and used the music group as a chance to do something the members really enjoyed.
“It’s also an outlet to submerge ourselves in our love of music, particularly of modern jazz,” he said.
“At the last count we have about 120 songs under our bandoliers and still counting.”
The band consists of experienced musicians such as music teacher Ken Gibson on bass, accomplished drummer Noel Bowden, maths teacher Dave Merry with many talents to his name including the flute, and Brian Ford on keyboard and vocals who said he suddenly woke up one morning and realised he wanted to play in a modern jazz quartet.
“Some people are curious as to the origins of the name Plan B,” Brian said.
“The simple answer is that we’ve implemented our Plan A; careers, bringing up the family, cats, dogs and so on. This is now our Plan B, modern jazz.”
Brian said the band’s main goal was to reach out to people who may not love jazz as much as the band members and to change this.
“We’d like to extend our reach to bring our music to more people, more often; especially to a younger generation whose musical preferences may not have included modern jazz,” he said.
“This is a goal worthy of chasing.”