The new BackBeat Village (and Jazz Reporters) blog site! Well, we’re approaching our 10th year of operation, so it’s high time we caught up with technology.

Who is / are BackBeat Village? As the title of this website implies, we are indeed a UK function band. One of many – but there’s room for all of us. In a bit more detail, we specialise in soul, Motown, funk and disco, and have a setlist that spans from the 1960s to the present day. We’re based in London & Berkshire, but travel all over the UK (and occasionally beyond).

The Jazz Reporters began life in 2007 as a subsidiary of BackBeat Village, offering a jazz / swing alternative for weddings, parties and functions in the UK.

In July 2002, several of the original members of BackBeat Village graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. A little later in July 2002, BackBeat Village was formed! No hanging about. We had some photos taken, a website constructed, arranged some songs, practised them, and recorded a demo (in a rather compact attic-conversion flat in Leytonstone that I used to live in). Shortly after this we had our first gig – so more songs were rapidly arranged, and more rehearsals booked in – we were good to go!

So nine-and-a-bit years on, with more than 600 gigs behind us, we are still making our funky sounds with as much passion and dedication as ever, providing live music for weddings, parties and functions throughout the year.