Review: EBOPers impress
May 30, 2025
Hops & Horns
EBOPers Big Band featuring The Tequila Mockingbirds
Saturday, May 24
Mata Brewery
REVIEW by Dave Stewart
IMPRESSIVE: The Ebopers Big Band, back, from left, Craig Pittar (keys), Ari Jalava (bass), Jouni Viitakangas (guitar), Jonathan Platt (drums), Maurice Reid (trumpet), Ethan Oram (trumpet), Isaac Oram (trombone), Liam Bewley (bass trombone) and Jesh Oram (tuba). Front, from left, Danielle Oram (tenor sax), Brooke Hamill (alto sax), Aubin Bannwarth (alto sax), Julie de Raat (alto sax), Joseph Spalding (tenor sax), Troy de Raat (baritone sax). Photo supplied
It was a full house at Mata Beer last Saturday night when the EBOPers Big Band, featuring The Tequila Mockingbirds, put on a super-impressive performance.
The EBOPers were formed out of the EBOP Brass Band in 2014, and are now established performers on the local circuit.
Maurice Reid, who joined the brass band around 2000, leads the 14 other musicians and three vocalists, who get together to practise every week at the brass band hall on Commerce Street.
When asked how hard it is for 15 or more people to get together once a week for rehearsals, Reid said “well, they just have to be committed”.
They prove how practise makes perfect as the band is tight as drum and everyone appears to breath as one as they traverse difficult arrangements with apparent ease, belying the amount of group and personal practise it takes to weld together a large band.
Soundtech Dan Maitland said it was an easy task to get the mix just right because the only thing going through the mix was the Mockingbird’s vocals and Craig Pittar’s electric keyboard.
“Everything else was just the band knowing when to play soft or loud and they were all brilliant with it,” said Maitland.
The appreciative crowd of around 120 endorsed this with enthusiastic applause at the end of every solo and at the end of song with smiles all round, both on stage and off.
Although it seems unfair to single out anyone for special mention, it’s impossible not to mention lead trombonist Isaac Oram, who blew the house down with each and every solo and just got better as the night went on.
Isaac is one of four Oram siblings in the band, all of whom took solos throughout the night.
“Everyone gets a solo,” said Reid. “But, yes, Isaac really did have a good night tonight.”
After the last song, the crowd demanded, and got, a brilliant rendition of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B to send everyone home with a smile and spring in their step.
The Ebopers are planning a return show at Mata Beer in November. Book early; it will be sold out very quickly.
Tequila Mockingbirds, from left, Sarah Holmes-Reid, Adele Dixon and Debs Ranapia.