The Weather People

What do you get when you bring together one trombone, one trumpet, two saxophones, and four excellent and adventurous musicians? One tight, multi-faceted, and dynamic group playing tunes that are exciting, unpredictable, edgy, and fun. That’s The Weather People. This horn quartet plays original compositions and arrangements by trombonist Cam Millar, inspired by all manner of musical genres and eras of horn-driven music. Listen long enough and you’ll encounter influences from jazz, rock, Latin, classical/art music, James Brown, Blood Sweat and Tears, Earth Wind and Fire, Chicago, Stravinsky, John Williams, Tito Puente, Duke Ellington, Mozart, and more. Did we say eclectic? 

With support from the Maryland State Arts Council, this group came together mid-pandemic in order to safely perform live in outdoor settings for music-starved audiences. Their debut album, “Current Conditions,” was released in January 2022. 

  • 2023 recap, and upcoming 2024 concerts/projects

-This past November, we were in concert at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, MD.

A full audience was in attendance to hear the premiere of ‘The Picasso Suite’, conceived and composed in celebration of the museum's current ‘Picasso in Print’ exhibit. Our friend and fellow musician, Candice Mowbray, was there to conduct the piece. (In retrospect, it was quite fitting to have a world-class guitarist conducting music in honor of Picasso, seeing as the guitar is a subject of much of his art!)

-Thanks to a 2023 'Creativity Grant' from MSAC (Maryland State Arts Council), we were able to present a series of concerts in June/July of '23 with a focus on Western Maryland venues.  New compositions were featured at each concert which have now become staples of our growing repertoire!

-Earlier in the year, we were Virginia to perform for twice in the Loudon County Music Concert Series.

-The ‘Lana Spence Band’ ! 

 Bring on the Soul, Funk, and good old R&B ‘make ’em dance' music! Lana Spence understands what a horn section adds to a live band….and we love her for it! The Weather People horn section are helping to put smiles on peoples' faces and getting ‘em dancing. The inaugural year for the LSB had us performing at the Maryland Symphony Fundraising Gala, the Hip Gyspy Festival, the Funkstown Food Festival (gotta love that name!) and numerous clubs and bars in Maryland. Arranging music once again for ’Horn Band' is a dream come true!

Here's a little taste of the LSB Band:

-Elvis! - the David King Elvis Experience

It's true! Elvis lives! David King is the Real Deal! What an entertainer… and you couldn't meet a nicer person. Famed Elvis Tribute Band, The SpinOuts, had us come and perform with them for this special season opening concert for the Palace Theater in Chambersburg, PA. It felt like we were a part of Elvis' historic concert in Hawaii. Hope we get to do it again….great music, great band…and amazing Elvis fans.

 

  • 2024 Upcoming
  • Jan. 20; Lana Spence Band and Weather People horns at ‘Liberty Mtn. Ski Resort’, PA (numerous upcoming Lana Spence Bands dates to be posted) 
  • Feb 17; special House Concert in Hagerstown MD. We'll be re-visting ‘The Picasso Suite’ as well as performing other new works in an intimate concert setting for about 40 music lovers. 
  • March 3; in concert at the Brambleton Library (Loudon Cty) in Brambleton VA as part of the county-wide Library Concert Series
  • May 19; in concert at the Hagerstown Public Library as part of the ‘Noteworthy Sunday Concert’ series. More world-premieres to be introduced for audience members that may have been at our ‘Picasso Suite’ premiere event! (note to self: deadlines are good!)
  • more dates as announced

 

Cam Millar, trombone
, composer   Canadian-born Cam has lived and performed in Calgary, Toronto, and New York. He's also done his share of teaching at the university and college level, private school music programs, and has had compositions performed by dancers, ice skaters, jazz/classical musicians, equestrian riders and others. Read more.


Anita Thomas, tenor sax
  Australian-born multi-instrumentalist Anita is a busy performer, teacher, and session player throughout Maryland and the US. She also teaches in the Jazz Program at Frederick Community College.


Howard Burns, alto sax
  Well known throughout Maryland and DC for his performing, teaching, and presenting, Howard has been the Jazz director at Frederick Comm. College for 30 years, the Don Redman Heritage Jazz Awards, and has performed around the world.


Adam Hanlin, trumpet
  Hagerstown-born Adam attended Shepherd University and obtained a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from Eastman School of Music. Equally at home in the classical world, Adam is in demand throughout MD, VA, and WV.

 Listen to track previews from the album "Current Conditions"

 

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Available for:  
- Concert venues  
- College, University concerts and masterclasses  
- School concerts; music/band masterclasses

Each musician has years of educational work and masterclasses/lesson experience in addition to a wide range of professional performing activities.  We'd love to come to your school to share our musical enthusiasm and help inspire your students!