News!
2008 Audience Readers' Poll		The BCB was voted Best Maine Band in the 2008 Audience Readers' Poll. This poll is conducted by the Maine Sunday Telegram and its online affiliate, MaineToday.com. This makes three of four years that we've been given this "shot in the arm" by our fans. The band thanks all those who were kind enough to take the time to vote for us! *
A Return to Only Music: Four Years Later!!!		January 5, 2008, marks the completion of four years of doing only music-related work. My fifth year of making a living playing music in Maine has me feeling very lucky, and I'm thankful to the band, our fans, and my students. I'm still teaching privately at home, the band's personnel remains unchanged, the repertoire is growing all the time, and we just keep moving forward. *
New Year's Eve - Marriott!! 12/31/2007		This event is now sold out. Please call 347-6874 to have your name added the the waiting list in case of cancellations ~ Thanks! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This year, the theme for our New Years Eve Party at the Marriott at Sable Oaks, South Portland is New Year's in Paris. The menu and other details are posted on the New Year's webpage. We'll have continuous entertainment, with DJ Brian Zutter keepin' things hoppin' during the band's breaks. Different package options are topped off with great deals on rooms at the Marriott or at the Holiday Inn Express right across the parking lot. To go to the New Year's webpage, Click Here. *
New Band Setup Pic's		Those who wonder what the band's setup is like will find these pictures helpful. The pictures show the band in a number of different venues with a variety of performance spaces. To get to this photo gallery, either browse our Pictures and Articles webpage, or Click Here. *
2007 Audience Readers' Poll		The BCB was voted Best Maine Band in the 2007 Audience Readers' Poll. This poll is conducted by the Maine Sunday Telegram and its online affiliate, MaineToday.com. The band thanks all those who were kind enough to take the time to vote for us! *
New Home Page Pic's and updates to Pic's and Articles		The home page has got new pics of the band - some informal, some in performance. Our thanks to Pat Michaud! There are also new picture galleries of this past year's Halloween and New Year's Eve. You've gotta love the pic of Cindy with the chain saw - Yikes!!! Some pretty cool pictures of Governor Baldacci's Inaugural Ball round out the additions to the website. This was a fabulous event that we were very proud to be part of. In addition to the BCB, great music was provided by the Mark Miller Blues Band and the Jim Ciampi Band. Wonderful musicianship in both groups; it was a real pleasure for our whole band to get to listen to them. Sound and lighting by Moonlighting Production Services (Gary Massey and Ted Dunbar) and the Audio/Visual production by Headlight Audio/Visual were first-class. Special thanks to Pat from Moonlighting for his professional and courteous expertise and to Nick for his Front-Of-House mixing. To get to these photo galleries and more on our Pictures and Articles webpage, Click Here. *
A Return to Only Music: Three Years Later!!!		January 5, 2007, marks the completion of three years of doing only music-related work. As I start on my fourth year of making a living playing music in Maine, I feel pretty lucky to be able to do it, and I'm thankful to the band, our fans, and my students. I'm teaching privately at home now, and I'm as busy as I want to be, so it's all good. The band's personnel remains unchanged, and we keep growing: Onward & Upward! *
Bob Charest Band to play at Gov. Baldacci Inaugural Ball January 4th, 2007		We've been selected to perform at Gov. Baldacci's Gubernatorial Inaugural Ball at the Augusta Civic Center on Thursday, January 4th, 2007. This gala event is certainly something that the whole band is looking forward to! *
New Year's Eve - Marriott!! 12/31/2006		This event is now sold out. Please call 347-6874 to have your name added the the waiting list in case of cancellations ~ Thanks! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This year we're partnering with the Marriott at Sable Oaks, South Portland for what will be our best New Year's Eve yet! The menu is posted on the New Year's webpage along with all the other details. Our theme this year is Fire and Ice. We'll have continuous entertainment, with DJ Brian Zutter keepin' things hoppin' during the band's breaks. Different package options are topped off with great deals on rooms at the Marriott or at the Holiday Inn Express right across the parking lot. To go to the New Year's webpage, Click Here. *
Shoptalk Article in the Portland Press Herald Thursday, 12/12/2006		This interview was given to the Portland Press Herald's staff writer, John Rolfe. Photographer Shawn Patrick Ouellette also snapped a nice shot of the band performing for a company party at the Marriott Hotel. John asked some great questions, and was kind enough to make me look good in print! To view the PDF of the article, Click Here. *
Modern Bride Magazine selects The Bob Charest Band as one of the Hottest 150 Bands and DJ's in the USA Two Years In A Row!		A client informed me that they had learned of us through an article in Modern Bride Magazine on the top 150 Bands and DJ's in the country. When I asked if it were the December 2005/January 2006 issue, she told me that it was the current December 2006/January 2007 issue! As before, what makes this accolade especially rewarding is that the magazine canvasses event professionals from all over the state asking for their input about whom they think excels in entertaining wedding audiences. Also selected from Maine were The Delta Knights and Dionne Entertainment. Congratulations to them as well! To see the excerpt, Click Here. *
Website Redux: Cool New Stuff!!!		A lot of feedback has come back from people telling us that the site is easy to use, so we're going to make sure it stays that way. We've combined some things to make navigation on the site easier, and we've kept things simple. There are some nice new portraits, and some funny pics too! The picture gallery has been updated (that was WAY overdue!!) and we've added a section showing what the band's setup looks like in different venues. Kudos to the road crew for making it look so good every time! *
A Return to Only Music: Two Years Later!!!		January 5, 2006, marks two years of doing only music-related work. Cindy and I have been working on all aspects of the band and we're finding (no surprise) that you never run out of places to put your effort. The band's personnel hasn't changed, and we just keep getting tighter and adding new tunes! *
Modern Bride Magazine selects The Bob Charest Band as one of the Hottest 150 Bands and DJ's in the USA		I got an email the other day congratulating us on having been selected by Modern Bride Magazine as one of the Hottest 150 Bands and DJ's in the USA. I was gratified to learn that the magazine had canvassed professionals who work at venues from all over the state asking for their input as far as who they see and whom they think is most effective at entertaining wedding audiences. It's wonderful to feel that all our hard work is really visible to those who have a chance to be around many entertainers over the course of a year. The Modern Bride issue to get is the December 2005/January 2006 issue. Also selected from Maine were The Delta Knights and Dionne Entertainment. We would like to congratulate them as well. If you'd like to see the excerpt, Click Here. *
Halloween 2005 Pictures		What a blast! This was as much fun as we ever have - To see a few pictures of this event, Click Here. *
Heroes' Parade Xtra		What a beautiful day we had! This was an absolutely perfect day for a parade. To see a few pictures of the parade, Click Here. *
Heroes' Parade		We've been invited to play on a float during the Heroes' Parade honoring all veterans and first responders. The parade is scheduled for Friday, April 8 at 3:30PM starting at Monument Square in Portland. This parade is shaping up to be the biggest ticker-tape parade ever held in the Forest City. Members of the New England Patriots will be part of the parade along with other celebrities... And as the float for the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce drives by, you can groove to the band! We're privileged to be part of this volunteer celebration honoring those who make the lives we lead possible. We also want to thank our sponsors: Gorham Savings Bank, The Home Depot, Robert Grondin and Sons, Sportmans Hardware. For more information about this event, (Click Here!!) *
2005 Audience Readers' Poll		The BCB was voted Best Maine Band in the 2005 Audience Readers' Poll. This poll is conducted by the Maine Sunday Telegram and its online affiliate, MaineToday.com. The band thanks all those who were kind enough to take the time to vote for us! *
A Return to Only Music: One Year Later!!!		On January 5, 2005, I celebrated one year of doing only music-related work (teaching, playing, arranging, producing, recording). This is a goal I've had ever since I started working outside of music in 1984. Although I played music during the time I was working in computers, doing only music is where I ought to be. This is a wonderfully exciting time for me - I've got my life back and I'm not wasting any of it! *
New Tunes, New Gigs:		The band's style range is extensive and the tune list for the band just keeps on growing - That keeps our perspective fresh! I love watching people rockin' when the band hits Walk This Way or Freeway Of Love - And I know they dig it when we kick into Give It To Me Baby! As many of our friends who came out to see us this past New Year's Eve can attest: the band has never sounded better... Our list of upcoming public events includes a number of gala benefits, a fun gig at La Kermesse in Biddeford with our friends Motor Booty (check out the picture of me playing with them as "Major Motion Lotion" in our picture gallery!!), and the Fryeburg Fair. Some other perennial events (including some Wednesday night park concerts) are also coming soon. Details are on our Public Events page: (Click Here!!) *
Website Update:		The links page continues to evolve - there are some very useful links on the page especially if you are the one trying to put together your event. Coming Soon: There will be a number of new pictures from 2004 to complement the pictures in the photo gallery by the end of January... You can see some of the fun the band is helping to generate! Also, if you would like to see the picture of the band that we sent out for our "Season's Greetings" this year, (Click Here!!) *
Teaching The Art Of Improvisation		Beginning in September 2003, I returned to teaching Jazz Piano Improvisation at the University of Maine at Augusta. I taught there for 6 years before beginning work in mainframe computing in 1984! I am also currently teaching private lessons. If you're interested in broadening your abilities on the piano, at whatever level, call 207-797-3848. *
Solo/Trio Piano: CDCD and Performances		This project is already underway and has gone through a number of changes since I first envisioned it (Now there's some serious understatement!!). I have recorded some trio tunes and have decided to re-record the solo piano cuts. I hope to have everything completed by the Spring of 2007. The trio (sometimes with Cindy adding a female vocal) has been gigging a bit lately, and I'm having a great time playing in that format. Now, if only I can find the perfect club for a jazz piano trio... *
Goodbye Kevin Muse:		Sadly, I wish a fond farewell to Kevin Muse who passed away unexpectedly on August 6, 2004. I first met Kevin in 1978 when he was Manager of the lounge at the Red Jacket Inn in North Conway. Our paths later crossed again when he hired the band to play at the Fryeburg Fair. As busy as he was, Kevin was kind enough to write letters of recomendation for the band and was always ready to help in whatever way he could. I always looked forward to a cold one and pleasant conversation with Kevin after we performed at The Fryeburg Fair. When we play the fair again this October 3 it really won't be the same for us ( and for all the other performers who had the pleasure of working with him .) Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family. *
Thanks, and stay tuned for more news of upcoming events and items of interest!