The Timmins All-Star Big Band was formed in 1992 to "Remember The Pav", a famous Timmins dance hall that burned down for the last time in the 40's. This school fundraiser sparked a revival in big band music in the community and its musicians. Thus, the Timmins All-Star-Big Band was formed to keep the spirit alive.

Gold was the original mainstay of the Timmins-Porcupine Camp, allowing the area to escape the Depression and numerous cyclic economic slowdowns since then. The employment available in the mines during these lean times attracted many musicians from Southern Ontario and the northern United States. These were often top-class musicians, many of whom stayed in the area even after economic conditions improved down South. As miners have a well-earned reputation for working and playing hard, the music and entertainment scene began to flourish, also becoming golden.

Many isolated communities become self-reliant in terms of entertainment, particularly in the days before television and the internet. It is easy to get involved in things. Timmins is a shining example of how a community not only develops and supports its own cultural pursuits, but establishes firm standards as well: Every artistic group in town tries to become as professional as possible. It is for this reason that Timmins has produced so many artists who have gone on to international acclaim.

The members of the Timmins All-Star Big Band are an eclectic group, typical of this northern spirit of self-reliance with an eye (and ear!) toward professionalism. Some are or have performed professionally, while others are lifelong hobby musicians with roots in the golden age of live music. We come from all walks of industrial and white-collar life, brought together by our love of big band music. There's just something about meaningful, coherent lyrics, timeless melodies, and rhythms that force one's body to tap and clap and swing, swing, swing!

Because of the transient nature of resource economy employees who move about Canada and the world as economic cycles demand, we have welcomed and bid farewell to many musicians over the years. Any long-standing band must be dynamic, constantly adapting to change with resilience.

Our repetoire is also dynamic. While we deliver a broad spectrum of music: the original big band charts, latin, swing, and tossing in the odd polka and waltz, we are continually moving forward with our performance pieces. While remaining true both to our big band roots and need to be entertaining to as many people as possible, our repetoire is becoming more demanding in terms of complexity, getting a little jazzier.

To continue chasing perfection while playing with vigour, and without inhibition.