We get the New Year started off with a high energy chat with our friend, Dr. Rob Franzblau, retired Director of Bands at Rhode Island College and current director of The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble (RIWE). Rob had a fascinating career path to this point and, though retired since 2023, doesn’t seem to be lacking in energy or innovation. We were particularly fascinated with one of many community outreach programs RIWE promotes: Band Instrument Renewal Drive (BIRD, acronym courtesy of Rob!). Band instruments that are not being played are donated from various sources, local instrument repair shops work as partners and are reimbursed for their work through RIWE fundraising, then the instruments are donated back into school band programs that are in need of them. Hopefully, the instruments will continue to be used for many years to come. 

To help with this effort and to learn more about RIWE, search for their website: riwe.org and join the band, attend a concert, donate an instrument or $ for the the program. Surely this will help many students with our goal for them: “Just Keep On Playin!”

RIWE link: riwe.org

As always, we invite you to also contact us with questions and comments at [email protected]

Remember to Follow or Subscribe and Share! Share! Share!

We get the New Year started off with a high energy chat with our friend, Dr. Rob Franzblau, retired Director of Bands at Rhode Island College and current director of The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble (RIWE). Rob had a fascinating career path to this point and, though retired since 2023, doesn’t seem to be lacking in energy or innovation. We were particularly fascinated with one of many community outreach programs RIWE promotes: Band Instrument Renewal Drive (BIRD, acronym courtesy of Rob!). Band instruments that are not being played are donated from various sources, local instrument repair shops work as partners and are reimbursed for their work through RIWE fundraising, then the instruments are donated back into school band programs that are in need of them. Hopefully, the instruments will continue to be used for many years to come. 

To help with this effort and to learn more about RIWE, search for their website: riwe.org and join the band, attend a concert, donate an instrument or $ for the the program. Surely this will help many students with our goal for them: “Just Keep On Playin!”

RIWE link: riwe.org

As always, we invite you to also contact us with questions and comments at [email protected]

Remember to Follow or Subscribe and Share! Share! Share!

We had a high spirited, wide ranging, on site, but chilly visit with Dr. Mark Stickney, founder of the Historic Music of Newport Foundation. Mark has combined his roots from historic Newport, Rhode Island music festivals that he and his family were a big part of beginning in his childhood through a 20+ college teaching career and now returning full circle back to Newport. The Foundation, founded in 2022, under Mark and his outstanding board of directors are making great contributions to revealing the fascinating history of music in Newport, Rhode Island through the 1800’s to present. They have catalogued over 1,000 pieces of music, researched over 900 musicians and much more while disseminating the information through their website, publications and visits to schools and conferences. 

To learn more, or contact Mark, please visit their website and/or email listed below.

web site: historicmusicofnewport.org

Email:

[email protected]

As always, we invite you to also contact us with questions and comments at [email protected]

Remember to Follow or Subscribe and Share! Share! Share!

We had a high spirited, wide ranging, on site, but chilly visit with Dr. Mark Stickney, founder of the Historic Music of Newport Foundation. Mark has combined his roots from historic Newport, Rhode Island music festivals that he and his family were a big part of beginning in his childhood through a 20+ college teaching career and now returning full circle back to Newport. The Foundation, founded in 2022, under Mark and his outstanding board of directors are making great contributions to revealing the fascinating history of music in Newport, Rhode Island through the 1800’s to present. They have catalogued over 1,000 pieces of music, researched over 900 musicians and much more while disseminating the information through their website, publications and visits to schools and conferences. 

To learn more, or contact Mark, please visit their website and/or email listed below.

web site: historicmusicofnewport.org

Email:

[email protected]

As always, we invite you to also contact us with questions and comments at [email protected]

Remember to Follow or Subscribe and Share! Share! Share!

S3E1 Trick AND Treat AND Banter

Season 3 begins with high energy banter from our hosts recorded on Halloween! The hilarious shared reflections of the first two seasons and the exciting plans for a new season are more than enough to demonstrate our hosts at their best! Enjoy the ride. Then share it with your friends and family and everyone else. There will be plenty of room for everyone as we all support and grow the amazing world of community music ensembles!

Please share your comments and requests for future topics with us via:

email: [email protected]

Facebook: Town Band Banter

Instagram: #townbandbanter

TikTok: COMING SOON!!

As promised, here is the link to The Jamestown Community Band performing “Coffin Races” at their Fall concert on October 24, 2025: https:??youtu.be/nAHwOo-BVdc

S3E1 Trick AND Treat AND Banter

Season 3 begins with high energy banter from our hosts recorded on Halloween! The hilarious shared reflections of the first two seasons and the exciting plans for a new season are more than enough to demonstrate our hosts at their best! Enjoy the ride. Then share it with your friends and family and everyone else. There will be plenty of room for everyone as we all support and grow the amazing world of community music ensembles!

Please share your comments and requests for future topics with us via:

email: [email protected]

Facebook: Town Band Banter

Instagram: #townbandbanter

TikTok: COMING SOON!!

As promised, here is the link to The Jamestown Community Band performing “Coffin Races” at their Fall concert on October 24, 2025: https:??youtu.be/nAHwOo-BVdc

Doc and Dave learned about the world of Mandolin Ensembles from an expert, Joshua Bell Director of the l’Esperance Mandolin Ensemble of Providence, RI. We were also joined by a former Mandolin student of Josh’s, ands our own first season star Sandra Enos! Josh’s extensive knowledge of the world and history of mandolin as well as his welcoming attitude for new learners was more than enough for a wonderful episode. We all knew Josh, but we also all learned something from him during this session and, as we had promised, we expand into other types of community ensembles beyond concert and jazz bands. The historical proliferation of the mandolin as a solo instrument as well as a family of instruments results in mandolin bands existing throughout the USA and the world. We are sure you will enjoy this brief introduction to the vibrant genre of community music ensembles.

 To contact and learn more about l’Esperance Mandlin Ensemble, visit their website at lesperancemandolin.com or contact Joshua Bell directly at 401-345-6930

Your comments are always appreciated for the podcast at [email protected]

Doc and Dave learned about the world of Mandolin Ensembles from an expert, Joshua Bell Director of the l’Esperance Mandolin Ensemble of Providence, RI. We were also joined by a former Mandolin student of Josh’s, ands our own first season star Sandra Enos! Josh’s extensive knowledge of the world and history of mandolin as well as his welcoming attitude for new learners was more than enough for a wonderful episode. We all knew Josh, but we also all learned something from him during this session and, as we had promised, we expand into other types of community ensembles beyond concert and jazz bands. The historical proliferation of the mandolin as a solo instrument as well as a family of instruments results in mandolin bands existing throughout the USA and the world. We are sure you will enjoy this brief introduction to the vibrant genre of community music ensembles.

 To contact and learn more about l’Esperance Mandlin Ensemble, visit their website at lesperancemandolin.com or contact Joshua Bell directly at 401-345-6930

Your comments are always appreciated for the podcast at [email protected]

We had a wonderful visit with one of the outstanding band leaders of our lifetime, Captain Lew Buckley. He was most famous for being the longest tenured conductor of all top military bands during his 29 year and 4 month term as Director of the United States Coast Guard Band in New London,  CT.  The band’s reputation has always been extraordinary and Captain Buckley has earned a reputation as a band director who consistently produces spectacular results with the ensembles he directs. He continued that after his retirement from the Coast Guard Band during 9 years conducting the Metropolitan Wind Symphony of Boston and is currently conducting several ensembles in a second retirement “deployment” that he and his wife are enjoying in the surprisingly musical rich environment of The Villages of Central Florida. The balance of humanitarian kindness and adaptation with the joys of making music that Captain Buckley has found at The Villages is a highlight of this episode.

We had a wonderful visit with one of the outstanding band leaders of our lifetime, Captain Lew Buckley. He was most famous for being the longest tenured conductor of all top military bands during his 29 year and 4 month term as Director of the United States Coast Guard Band in New London,  CT.  The band’s reputation has always been extraordinary and Captain Buckley has earned a reputation as a band director who consistently produces spectacular results with the ensembles he directs. He continued that after his retirement from the Coast Guard Band during 9 years conducting the Metropolitan Wind Symphony of Boston and is currently conducting several ensembles in a second retirement “deployment” that he and his wife are enjoying in the surprisingly musical rich environment of The Villages of Central Florida. The balance of humanitarian kindness and adaptation with the joys of making music that Captain Buckley has found at The Villages is a highlight of this episode.