Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band in Manchester, 25th & 26th June

In collaboration with Wigan Music Service, the RNCM in Manchester will host two performances by LA-based and internationally renowned jazz orchestra, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.

An additional date was added due to popular demand so there are now two opportunities to see the band - at 4pm on Sunday 25th June and then at 7.30pm on Monday 26th June.

From the RNCM website...

Even for a successful composer and arranger in Hollywood, Gordon Goodwin’s numbers are impressive: A 2006 Grammy Award for his instrumental arrangement of Incredits from the Pixar film The Incredibles, three Emmy Awards, and thirteen Grammy nominations.

There are eighteen musicians in Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, one of the most exciting large jazz ensembles on the planet. Populated by L.A.’s finest players, the Big Phat Band takes the big band tradition into the new millennium with a contemporary, highly original sound featuring Goodwin’s witty, intricate, and hard-swinging compositions in a veritable grab bag of styles: swing, Latin, blues, classical, rock and more.

Established in 2000, the Big Phat Band’s debut recording, Swingin’ For The Fences (Silverline Records), featured guest artists Arturo Sandoval and Eddie Daniels. It made history as the first commercially available DVD-Audio title ever released and the first DVD-Audio title to receive two Grammy nominations.

Tickets cost £32 and these gigs are sure to be well attended, so audiences are advised to book soon. For more information and book tickets, visit the RNCM website.

Tour Preview: Mike Gibbs 80th Birthday Tour, September 2017

Renowned composer Mike Gibbs is to undertake a large ensemble tour in September to celebrate his 80th birthday.

"Gibbs music is full of intriguing inner detail that does not deflect from the ultimate destiny of his pieces." – BBC Music Magazine

From the cuneiform records website...

Brit-jazz composer and arranger Michael Gibbs was born in 1937 in Zimbabwe. Starting in 1959, he studied in Boston at the Berklee College of Music, the Boston Conservatory , Tanglewood and the Lenox School of Music, where he studied with a who's who of contemporary jazz and modern composition: George Russell, Gunther Schuller, Iannis Xenakis, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss and others. In 1964 he moved to the UK, where he engaged himself in the rapidly emerging contemporary UK jazz scene. Starting in the late 60s and continuing into the mid 70s, he recorded a number of highly acclaimed and influential albums featuring many of the most prominent British-based jazz players who, like Michael, were beginning to flirt with jazz/rock. Since the mid 70s he has worked as a educator as well as a free-lance arranger, doing arrangements and orchestrations for major names such as Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Peter Gabriel among many others, while too infrequently recording his own music.

Mike will be joined by an all-star jazz orchestra - 

Trumpets: Ryan Quigley, Henry Lowther, Percy Pursglove, Nick Smart
Trombones: Mark Bassey, Jeremy Price, Trevor Mires, Richard Henry (bass trombone)
Saxophones: Jason Yarde (alto/soprano), John O'Gallagher (alto), Julian Siegel (tenor/bass clarinet), Alex Garnett (tenor/baritone)
French horn & accordion: Jim Rattigan
Guitar: Mike Walker
Bass: Michael Janisch
Piano: Hans Koller
Drums: Andrew Bain
Percussion: Paul Clarvis​​

The first of the tour dates in the UK will take place in the North as part of the Scarborough Jazz Festival on September 24th, followed by the Vortex (25th and 27th), The Watermill in Dorking (26th September), CBSO Centre in Birmingham (28th) and Turner Sims (29th September).

Gig Preview: Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra in Lincoln, March 17th

Saxophonist Julian Siegel has announced a 6 date tour for his newly formed jazz orchestra, a 19 piece ensemble featuring many top UK jazz musicians.

Supported by funding from Grants for the Arts, the concerts will feature large ensemble arrangements of some of Siegel’s trio and quartet works as well as a new composition written specifically for the group entitled Tales from the Jacquard.

Audiences in the North will have the opportunity to hear this group when they play the Terry O’toole Theatre in Lincoln on March 17^th. They will also perform at De Montfort University in Leicester (14^th), Lakeside Arts in Nottingham (15^th), Ronnie Scotts in London (16^th), Guildhall Theatre in Derby (18^th) and Town Hall in Birmingham (19^th).

The Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra are –

Nick Smart (conductor)

Tom Walsh, Percy Pursglove, Henry Lowther, Claus Stoetter (trumpets)

Mike Chillingworth, Jason Yarde, Stan Sulzmann, Tori Freestone, Gemma Moore (saxes)

Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires, Harry Brown, Richard Henry (trombones)

Liam Noble (piano)

Oli Hayhurst (double bass)

Gene Calderazzo (drums)

NJN Jazz Advent Calendar - Ronnie Bottomley Jazz Orchestra (Dec 7th)

Behind door number 7 is our largest ensemble to date, a full jazz orchestra no less. Drummer, band leader and arranger Ronnie Bottomley is a Northern jazz institution and a Northern Jazz advent calendar wouldn't be complete without a nod to his work.

Click here to listen to the jazz orchestra in action playing a festive number entitled Christmas  Swingers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG7p0oBypsA

Recipient of the Jazz Yorkshire Lifetime Achievement Award, Ronnie Bottomley has a glittering career that spans decades. Now in his 80s, he remains active on the scene by leading his jazz orchestra and the James Robinson Quintet pays homage to his small ensemble arrangements at gigs in Leeds and surrounding areas.
For 33 years, Ronnie held a teaching position at Leeds College of Music - teaching drums, leading a nonet and running a penmanship class. Many of the leading alumni at the college credit Ronnie as being a supportive and valuable force in their jazz education.
The Ronnie Bottomley Jazz Orchestra has been running for a number of years and features some of the finest jazz musicians in the North. People travel from Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield and beyond to play Ronnie's arrangements which always have a strong focus on soloists.

The Ronnie Bottomley Jazz Orchestra has a special christmas gig (an annual affair that has become tradition) at Seven Arts on Sunday December 11th.

For more information, check out this interview from Jazz Goes To Leeds.

Calling all young musicians: LCoM Generation Big Band

Leeds College of Music is welcoming applications for young musicians to take place in the newly assembled Generation Big Band.

From the LCoM website...

Generation Big Band at Leeds College of Music aims to bring together excellence across all generations of the Yorkshire jazz community.
Using cutting edge arrangements the band will consist of alumni who are working professionally in the music business, existing LCoM conservatoire students, along with up and coming young musicians who show great potential. Whilst this is a three-tier ensemble the emphasis is on quality and an opportunity to bring together the best of the best.
Through the audition process we are excited about reaching out especially to the younger jazz community and bringing together musicians who are passionate about improvising. Whilst places will be limited, this is a chance to connect with you, so please apply for an audition if you are interested – it might lead to other things.
The fee for young musicians is £125.

The deadline for applications is Midday on Wednesday 23rd November. Auditions will then take place on November 26th. There are 6 places available and while they would expect to receive applications from musicians aged over 14, they are open to applications from younger musicians too.

Congratulations to LCoM for this exciting initiative - bringing generations of musicians together to share music and learn from each other is a great idea!

For more information, visit the LCoM website.

York Music Forum Jazz Orchestra is recruiting!

Calling all young musicians in York - the York Music Forum Jazz Orchestra is now recruiting to welcome some new players into the fold. Led by Ian Chalk, this ensemble is an ambitious group of musicians under 21 that rehearses weekly and performs numerous times a year.

MD Ian Chalk says...

We are one of the best youth jazz orchestras in the country and we are recruiting!

Does this sound like you -

- Play alto sax, trombone or trumpet
- grade 8 standard (taken exam or not)
- Prepared to commit to make great music 
- Able to rehearse on Thursday evenings

Contact our musical director Ian Chalk on ian@yorkmusicservice.co.uk 

For more information on the York Music Forum, visit their website and to see the Jazz Orchestra in action, watch the video above of their performance of 'Count Bubba'. 

Big Band Sundays in Doncaster

Lovers of big band music should make sure the Diamond Live Lounge in Doncaster is on their radar and head down to one of their upcoming Big Band Sunday gigs.

The North boasts an impressive number of big bands and jazz orchestras and Diamond Live Lounge will host two such examples this season - Ronnie Bottomley's Jazz Orchestra on Sunday April 24th followed by the Tom Sharp Jazz Orchestra on Sunday 8th May.

Music starts at 2pm and entry is £10. Audiences for this Sunday's gig will be treated to two sets of music arranged by the great drummer Ronnie Bottomley and performed by a band full of the North's favourite improvisers.

Tom Sharp brings his band in May, fresh from their victory at the Great North Big Band Competition and with a programme full of the great big band writers.

The Diamond Live Lounge is situtated on Wood Street, a few minutes from Doncaster train station.

Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, March 4-6

Big bands from across the North are soon to descend on Sunderland for the 13th Annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival on March 4-6, held at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at Sunderland University.

Over the course of the weekend, there will be two competitions - an Open Section competition on Saturday 5th and a Youth & School Group Section on Sunday 6th. The winners of the Open Section on Saturday will then remain at the venue to perform in a Winner's concert.

The festival kicks off with the performance by the Musicians Unlimited Big Band and Festival Big Band on Friday 4th March.

Festival tickets cost £10 and there is food and licensed bar available throughout.

For more information, visit the festival's website.

NJ Advent Calendar - Christmas Big Band! (December 9th)

Behind door 9 is one of the North's favourite drummers, Ronnie Bottomley, and his jazz orchestra performing an arrangement of christmas tunes wrtitten by trumpeter and arranger Trevor Vincent.This was filmed at Seven Arts in Leeds back in 2011. Enjoy!

Gig preview: Big Band Bonanza in York, June 6th

Three big bands in York are combining forces to host a night of live music at St Clements Hall in York on June 6th.

MD for all three groups, trumpeter Ian Chalk, will lead York Big Band Initiative, York Music Forum Jazz Ensemble and York Music Forum Big Band through their paces showcasing the wealth of young musicians and adult learners on the York music scene.

Tickets cost £5 and are available on the door or through the York Music Service website. Doors open at 6.45pm and the first band is on at 7pm.

Gig Preview: James Hamilton Jazz Orchestra - 'Covers Suite' at Seven Arts

James Hamilton Jazz Orchestra 
Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds
Sunday 31st May
1.30pm

Award-winning composer James Hamilton is bringing his jazz orchestra to Seven Jazz later this month to perform two suites of music, one featuring a host of special guests.

The Yorkshire Suite was commissioned by Jazz Yorkshire and performed by the Doncaster Jazz Orchestra at Seven Arts last year to mark the end of Jazz Yorkshire. The band will perform this suite again in the first half of the concert.

The second half features some brand new music in the form of the Covers Suite. This brings together the jazz orchestra with singers from the Leeds music scene. Seven singers will be featured, with songs being selected by fans on facebook and twitter. The singers are -

Simon Wainwright (Hope & Social)
Simon Fletcher (Hand Made Hands)
David Henshaw (Dancing Years)
Jasmine Kennedy
Dan Lucas (Boss Caine)
Sam Thornton (Louis Louis Louis/King Zepha)
Grant Fennel (Cotton Woolf)

For more information, see the Seven Jazz website.