ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY BAND ASSOCIATION

Most of the performances were outstanding (and some not so) but it all improved our musical capabilities and provided the right atmosphere for the occasion. From beat retreats to wardroom dinners, concerts in the middle of nowhere and massive official openings. We entertained and continue to do so. This section devotes itself to archived recordings, album covers and aspects of the music we played.

NAVAL SHOWCASE 1957

NAVAL SHOWCASE 1957
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1957.
Original Album from Ed Thring.

LCDR George Hooker, M.B.E., R.A.N., Director of Music.
Bandsmen from HMAS Sydney, HMAS Melbourne, Eastern Australia Area, Flinders Naval Depot and School of Music made this record possible in 1957 at the Castlereagh St studios of EMI. There is no band listing on this album or acknowledgement of sound or studio engineers. The cover notes have no author.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

COMBINED OPERATION 1964

COMBINED OPERATION.
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1964
Original Album from Ed Thring

Combined_Operations_front

LCDR George Hooker, Director of Music. M.B.E., L.R.A.M., A.M.U.A., R.A.N.

A traditional march album recorded in 1964 with 12 of the most recognised marches around at the time but themed to be Army, Navy and Air Force for the sake of the album.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

MASSED BANDS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY 1970?

MASSED BANDS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY.
Original recording, "GOLDEN JUBILEE"
Original Album from Roger Downton.

Conducted by LCDR George Hooker, M.B.E., L.R.A.M., A.M.U.A Massed_Bands_front1

This album has the same tracks as the "GOLDEN JUBILEE" album and being a Paul Hamlyn, " Music for Leasure" release, it would definitely be a reprint. Reading the cover notes it mentions 60 years since men of the navy have been marching to these pieces, that puts it around 1970 ?. Must have been released to fill a gap or was just picked up as part of EMI producing Australian content.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

ANCHORS AWEIGH 19..?

ANCHORS AWEIGH 19..?
Massed Bands Of The Royal Australian Navy.

Conducted By LCDR George Hooker.
Original Album from Jim Hawkins.

SOUNDS FROM THE SEA 1965

Sounds_from_the_Sea_Web_Front460

SOUNDS FROM THE SEA.

Massed bands Of The Royal Australian Navy. 1965 but needs clarification.
Conducted By LTCDR George Hooker, A.M.B, L.R.A.M, A.M.U.A, R.A.N.
Original Album from Jim Hawkins.

BLUE WATER MEN 1972

BLUE WATER MEN
Recorded at EMI studios Sydney 1972
Blue_Watermen_front4501

Conducted By,

LCDR Don Coxon LRAM RAN.
Includes wonderful arrangements by Tommy Tyco, John Sangster and Bob 'Beetles' Young and featured Don Burrows.

A progressive step for the RAN Band at the time from the more traditional march style recordings. The atmosphere at the recording sessions were very exciting as we were dealing with styles way outside our comfort zone. For those that participated, I'm sure they left with a better understanding of what a Military/Concert band could produce.

ON THE QUARTER DECK No 1 1961

On_The_Quarter_Deck_JH_Web_Front460 ON THE QUARTER DECK.
Massed Bands Of The Royal Australian Navy Band.
1961 but needs clarification.
Conducted By LTCDR George Hooker, M.B.E, L.R.A.M, A.M.U.A, R.A.N.
Original Album from Jim Hawkins.

HERE COMES THE BAND 1966

Here_comes_the_band_Web_Front460

HERE COMES THE BAND.

Massed Bands Of The Royal Australian Navy.
1966 but needs clarification.
Conducted By LTCDR George Hooker, M.B.E, L.R.A.M, A.M.U.A, R.A.N.
Original Album from Jim Hawkins.

PACIFIC HORIZONS 1973

PACIFIC HORIZONS.
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1973
Original Album from Ed Thring Pacific_Horizons_front

LCDR Don Coxon, Director of Music. L.R.A.M., R.A.N.

This album seems to be dedicated to the Sydney Opera House which opened the same year as this recording. Notable composers were used on this album, one which Don enjoyed was Percy Grainger. The band did some recordings of Percy grainger for the world record club, I wonder whatever happened to those recordings.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

GOLDEN JUBILEE 1961

GOLDEN JUBILEE 1961
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1961?
Original Album From Ed Thring

Golden_Jubilee_front

LCDR George Hooker, Director of Music. M.B.E., L.R.A.M., R.A.N.
The selection on this record has been chosen to provide a pageant of the music that the men of the Royal Australian Navy have marched to during the last 50 years.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

PRIDE OF THE NAVY EP 1966

PRIDE OF THE NAVY.
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1966?
Original Album from Ed Thring

Pride_of_the_Navy_EP_Front

LCDR George Hooker, Director of Music. M.B.E., L.R.A.M., A.M.U.A., R.A.N.

An EP released I think in 1966 or 67, Was it to celebrate the new guided missile destroyer HMAS Perth. I say that because all the specs are about the ship and nothing else about the band or pieces selected.

LEST WE FORGET 1974

LEST WE FORGET. 1974
Recorded EMI Studios Melbourne ? 1974
Original Album From Ed Thring

LCDR Don Coxon, R.A.N., Director of Music Lest_we_forget_front
An interesting album to say the least, very traditional with the Ceremonial Sunset, Last Post and Reveille as major pieces along with Colonel Bogey Parts 1 and 2. The only person to get a mention apart from LCDR Don Coxon and LT Bill Farrell (Where's the notes) is Blue McNally for his excellent Bugle work.

Great cover photo of the HMAS Cerberus Band led by CPOMusn Tony Webber.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

AT HOME AND ABROAD 1962

AT HOME AND ABROAD.
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1962
Original Album from Ed Thring. At_Home__Abroad_Front

LCDR George Hooker, Director of Music. M.B.E., L.R.A.M., R.A.N.

The Chapel of St George makes a wonderful backdrop to this album and the theme is marches of the world. The year is in question, so help there. Another album where the drum corp carries the marches through on both sides of the album.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

ON THE QUARTER DECK No 2 1967

ON THE QUARTER DECK No 2 1967
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1967
Original Album From Ed Thring

On_the_Quarter_Deck_front

LCDR George Hooker, Director of Music. M.B.E., L.R.A.M., R.A.N.
This is the same track listing as Sounds From The Seas. So The date is possibly the date of the original recording thats on the back cover.
The selection on this record again reflects the bands versatlity with marches on side 1 and as the cover notes say, toe-tapping tunes that are indicative to the navy's modern outlook in regard to music as well as with ships and training. The cover also states that it was made and printed in Great Britian under the REGAL Label.

This Album has Mp3 recordings.

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR/SONG OF AUSTRALIA 1975

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR/SONG OF AUSTRALIA.
Recorded EMI Studios Sydney 1975?
Album from Ed Thring.

LCDR Don Coxon, R.A.N., Director of Music. Advance_Australia_Fair_Front Another EP released in 197 ?, with Advance Australia Fair arranged by K Brown (interesting to know which K Brown) and on the "B" side, Song of Australia arranged by (Rank Then)Vic Knowles. No Band acknowlegements or why it was recorded.

Music We Played

NAVAL SHOWCASE 1957

COMBINED OPERATION 1964

MASSED BANDS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY 1970?

ANCHORS AWEIGH 19..?

SOUNDS FROM THE SEA 1965

BLUE WATER MEN 1972

ON THE QUARTER DECK No 1 1961

HERE COMES THE BAND 1966

PACIFIC HORIZONS 1973

GOLDEN JUBILEE 1961

PRIDE OF THE NAVY EP 1966

LEST WE FORGET 1974

AT HOME AND ABROAD 1962

ON THE QUARTER DECK No 2 1967

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR/SONG OF AUSTRALIA 1975

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