AN ARCHITECT who has been moonlighting in a brass band for 20 years has been signed up by a major record label looking for a Christmas smash hit.

Andrew Justice, 52, of Bush Hill, Winchmore Hill, has played the trombone since he was eight.

He joined the brass band after going to the Salvation Army church in Churchbury Lane, Enfield, 23 years ago.

He is now one of 30 Salvationist members of the International Staff Band (ISB), which features the best of all Salvation Army bands.

The ISB signed a £1million deal with Universal Music, whose signings also include Eminem, Amy Winehouse and Take That.

The group’s album, Together, will be released on Monday and includes collaborations in both classical and popular styles with Welsh singer Aled Jones and soprano Lesley Garrett.

Mr Justice is an architect by day, working as associate principal of Moorgate-based Swanke Hayden Connell, which recently restored the Statue of Liberty in New York and is responsible for the Merrill Lynch building in the City of London.

He said: “I am a frustrated professional musician really.

“When I was young I looked at my options at school but I realised early on that unless you are driven to do it you won’t get very far as the options out there for musicians are limited.

“This is probably as good as it gets as far as amateur is concerned.”

Mr Justice plays brass band music three times a week, with Enfield Citadel band in Churchbury Lane and the ISB in central London. The ISB attracts people from across the country.

He and the other musicians will take no money from the venture and all the royalties made by the record sales will be donated to the Salvation Army, which is one of the biggest providers of social services outside of the state.

Mr Justice said: “This is an opportunity for Universal records to spread good news at Christmas time. They say they hope to get us well into the charts.”