Playing team

Soprano Cornet

David Lightbody
David has been a member of JIB since 1988 and has progressed his way through the ranks to find his niche on soprano. David, a keen soloist, has won many prizes including two Brass in the Park senior soloist awards and also Best Instrumentalist at the Carnegie Open Contest. His hobbies include Lawn Bowling and Rugby and he enjoys the odd Whisky or glass of wine. Favourite band pieces include Live and Let Die, Flowerdale, Glorifico Aeternum, Variations on Laudate Dominum and Spiriti.

Principle Cornet

Rachel Wemyss
Rachel knew from an early that she wanted 'Rob Hume' to teach her cornet and soon became a member of Abbey Brass moving from 3rd cornet to solo cornet in just over 6 months and then on to rehearsing with the senior band. In 2016 Rachel was delighted when she was declared the junior bands person of the year. In 2017 she was proud to make her contesting debut for the senior band and helped the band collect 6 trophies at the 'Borders Contest'

Having made it up through the ranks, Rachel is now enjoying the principle seat.

Having always been keen musically, she enjoys singing and dancing and has performed the role as Cinderella in her School panto. A grade 4 pianist she also enjoys horse riding, hip hop dancing and listening to all genres of music.

Solo Cornets

Rob Hume

see conductors

Eric Laidlaw

Eric originally began his playing days at Langholm Town and now plies his trade at JIB. A brief spell at Turriff silver saw him awarded best instrumentalist at the 2005 Scottish Championships. Having a wonderful tone and enviable technique, Eric is a valuable member of Jedforest’s maturing cornet section.

David Plain

David has recently joined JIB after numerous year playing with the Dalkeith Band. He is also an active trumpet player with the Borders Big Band.

REPIANO

John Mabon
John Started playing in 1959 with Galashiels Town, then Broxburn and moved to conducting in 1978. He Graduated in 1974 from Edinburgh University with a degree in Music and Religious Studies (honest!). He Spent most of his teaching career as Head of Music in Kelso High School before moving to Duns in 2006 as Head of Expressive Arts. Now retired from class teaching but remains Chief Examiner in Music for Scottish Qualifications Authority. In his spare time john enjoys distance running, pasta dishes and a Gin & Tonic (at Christmas Time). His Finest moment in banding was playing 'Bugler's Holiday' with James shepherd and being part of the JIB Revival.

2ND CORNET

Fiona Melrose
Fiona started at Gala Academy in the school band and played solely with them until going to college in Edinburgh and joining City of Edinburgh, staying with them for 6/7 years. She moved to play with Broxburn Band in about 1979/80 and remained with them until moving to East Lothian in 1993 Banding took a back seat for several years, keeping her lip in playing with a non-contesting band in East Lothian until 2003 when she returned to live in the Borders and joined St Boswells because it was Jim Main, who took the Gala Academy Band, who was the conductor at the time. Favourite pieces depend on whether shes listening to them or having to play them ! Favourite food + drink – Beef stifado (Greek) + whisky (not together!) Other interests – golf + tennis

Evelyn Oliver

Evelyn came back o banding after a spell out due to work and family comitments, A stalwart of the back row Evelyn, has been a valued and committed member of the jib since 2004. Now retired, she was the Deputy Head at Kelso High School and also taught french.

Mark Wands

Mark started playing at 12 yrs old with the St Boswells Concert Band being taught by the late Alex Robertson.

Aged 18 he joined the Lothian and Borders Police which stopped him from playing. A conversation with JIb player John Mabon sees Mark back with a cornet and enjoying life with JIB.

Bridget Bevan

More information to follow.....

Horns

Stuart Black

Stuart has been a part of the band since 2000, progressing from third cornet until he eventually found his seat on Flugel in 2004. Stuart’s biggest achievements in his banding career has been winning the Best Instrumentalist at the National Brass Band Championships in 2012, winning the Borders Slow Melody competition 6 times, Scotland’s Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year in 2002 and getting to Study with Russell Gray and Professor David King at Salford University. Favourite Pieces include Laudate Dominum and Essence of Time.

Hamish McRichie

Hamish began playing in 1969 but due to other commitments gave it up in 1978. He returned to banding in 2005 when he joined the JIB Horn Section and soon took over the Solo Horn seat.
He rates his best banding moment as when plaing in the regional qualifiers in Bristol in 1974. He enjoys Mountain biking, model railways, whisky, haggis and classical music and rates his favourite peice as Resurgam.

Nicola Douglas
Nicola started playing with the Hawick Saxhorn Band aged 12 before joining Dalkeith and Monktonhall whilst studying at Edinburgh University. When she moved to Selkirk in the Borders to be a Chemistry teacher she played for Selkirk Silver in the town. She is now a vital cog in the Jib horn section as well as a being a Brownie Guider. She also likes to spend her spare time with friends and family and says her Jedforest highlight were the trips to Cheltenham for the National finals in 2013 and 2015.

Molly Noble
Molly started her playing days at Jedburgh Grammar School before joining the ranks of Abbey Brass aged 11. She soon impressed and moved up to the senior band playing in her 1st JIB contest in 2018. Molly has a long list of hobbies which include dance , horse riding and athletics.

Euphs/Baris

Scott Renwick
Scott started his banding over 30 years ago in the Hawick Salvation Army Band befores moving to Hawick Saxhorn, McTaggart Scott (Loanhead) and Newtongrange Silver Bands. He has now been apart of the JIB since 2009. Scotts finest hour came in 2005, whilst playing for Newtongrange, when they became Scottish Champions and earned a trip to the Albert Halls. He rates the piece 'Jazz' as his favourite brass music and he also enjoys listening to bands such as the Stone Roses. Scott has now completed the Brass Band 'Grand Slam' by having a winners medal for every section of the Scottish Championships. only a very few have achieved this accolade in Scotland

Position vacant.

Call David on 07852230477

1st Baritone

Caitlin Riley

Profile will appear here shortly

Marion McAfee
Marion is one of JIBs longest serving members having joined the band over 40 years ago. Origionaly and still occasionaly a Euphonium player, Marion his now settled on the Baritone. Her favourite banding moment came at the British Championships in Torquay. Although her favourite piece is Stop the Cavelry her prefered music choice is rock orientated. In her spare tme she enjoys Puzzles, knitting and listening to music.

Tombones

1st Trombone

Gordon Melrose

Gordon began his playing days with Galashiels Town Band in 1973 before switching between the Gala band and Broxburn Silver. In 1978 he joined the Borders Big Band where he is still an active member as well as holding seats in the Tweed Vally Jazz Band, Dave Kerr Hot 5 and the Cellar Bar Big Band. In 1973 Gordon became the Scottish Junior Champion. In his spare time he enjoys Italian food along with a nice red wine and G+T. His other interests include Golf and Jazz music. He Lists his favourite pieces as Journey into Freedom, Spectrum and Variations on a Ninth.

2nd Trombone

Ben Murray

Ben started playing Trombone at the age of 8 and joined the ranks of Abbey Brass when he went to high school. Ben has was part of the Scottish youth Championship winning team in 2019 and is also a member of the SBBBA youth band as well an avid attender at Nybbs. In his spare time, Ben likes to play piano and go out mountain biking. He rates his favourite peice as Nightingale dances.

George Burt

George joined the band when he was 10 but left for many years while working abroad. He returned to Jethart, and the band, 25 years ago. George has been Secretary of the band as well as president, and is was also the President of the Scottish Brass Band Association for seven years. Due to Georges hard work, Scotland is now leading the world in youth brass development, based on Jedforest’s pioneering experience over the past 12 years.

Bass Trombone

Billy Liddell

more to follow......

Adam Lyndsay

Adam joined the ranks of the JIb as a member of Abbey brass.

He has returned to playing after many years out and is now enjoying his time in the senior band. During the day, Adam is a Head teacher at a local Primary School.

Basses

Eb Bass

Helen Westcot
Helen started playing the tuba when she was 11 and began playing in brass bands with the county youth band. At university Helen studied Music Technology and learned how to count rests in the Keele Philharmonic Orchestra. She moved to the borders to be a primary teacher and discovered Jedforest Band. Her highlight has been playing in the National Finals in Cheltenham.

Graham Fraser
Graham first got involved with brass playing about 20 years ago because his sons got involved with JIB. He could read music (although that’s not always obvious) as he had been playing bassoon since he was 11. He was recruited to play bass and has never looked back (or forwards) since. He hates contesting and loves coming up the High Street on Ancrum night. He is a great admirer of Alan Fernie’s arrangements - Ashokan Farewell and Ticket to Ride amongst many others - and loves Suite Gothique. He eats almost anything, the unhealthier the better, and has been known to sip a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. Revolting French liqueurs are a particular weakness.

Neil Ball

Neil returned to Brass in 2016 after taking a 30 year break! Little did he know that taking his sons to Abbey Brass (and after Daniel mentioned to John Mabon that he used to play) that John would present him with an istrument and get him playing again. Neil now helps run Abbey Brass and plays Eb Bass with the senior band.

David Plummer.

David has been a player with JIb since 2001 and is also an active member with the St Boswells Concert Band. He has been playing Bass since he was 12 and has also played with various militery bands. He enjoys a pint of Guinness as well as listening to traditional military marches .

Bb Bass

Alan Jack

Alan begun his plaing days aged 15 on Bb Bass and after a short spell on Euph he joined the JIB aged 17 on Eb. Moving between Eb and Bb bass, Alan has now returned to the Bb ranks. His favourite pieces are Culloden moor, Variations on Laudate Dominum and of course 'Tuba Smarties'. His hobbies include spending time with his family and relaxing with a 'wee Gin and tonic'. Alan's most memorable banding moment was playing at the National finals in Torquay

Percussion

Fiona Neary

Fiona joined Abbey Brass after watching her son in the cornet section. She had been a keen musician at school playing piano and clarinet but had not been involved in anything musical for 25yrs. Fiona started playing the glockenspiel for Abbey Brass, and now is an enthusiastic member of the percussion team with Jedforest Instrumental Band. Fiona decided that she wanted to understand more about music and so started a journey in 2015 with her Higher music and finished in 2019 with a BMus Hons. This has been very rewarding and enjoyable and she has no plans to finish with exams just yet!

Kirsty McRae

Kirsty joined the ranks of the Jib in 2011 after moving to the Borders 2 years before that. Kirsty's first instrument is piano, with orchestral percussion in particular timpani, being her second study. Kirsty has been involved in music from an early age where she played in school and regional bands in her home county of Fife before moving to Glasgow to study music.
Head of Music and Drama at a local School, Kirsty loves having the opportunity to enjoy playing music which she doesn't have to choose, organize or conduct! JIb have made her very welcome and she is proud to be a part of the band.

Maria Waszyrowska

Maria Joined the band in early 2024 after hearing the band play at a school concert that she worked at. Maria is a Music teacher and has decided to offer her services on percussion. She is a very welcomed addition to our Percussion team.

Cameron Mabon

Cameron is currently one of the bands 3 main conductors and when he is not wagging the stick he is can be found building sheds at the back of the band. He is also a self proclaimed expert in the Mongolian Nose flute besides playing many different Instruments.