CAMARILLO : Seniors Band Together in New Musical Group

It is a dance band with more saxophones than any other instrument, a band that accepts beginners but is mostly retired professional musicians, a group that includes a banjo player strumming along on all the big band favorites.

The Camarillo Senior Band, newly formed and ready for its debut concert Sunday at the Camarillo Fiesta, accepts anybody who wants to play.

“We don’t care what instruments show up. We’ve never told anybody they can’t play with us,” said bandleader John Herman at a recent rehearsal. The only stipulation is that the musician be at least 55 years old.

The group was formed in August under the auspices of the Camarillo Senior Center and allows members to keep their musical skills fresh, said pianist Will Zens, as he searched for the music to “Stardust” on his piano.

Indeed, the band’s rendition of “Moonlight Serenade” provided a trip back in time as the melody echoed in the empty halls of a former officers’ club at Camarillo Airport, where the group rehearses every Monday.