Amy Winehouse, 1983 – 2011
July 23, 2011 by admin
Amy Winehouse, who died on 23rd July, was once memorably quoted as saying that she began her career: “…singing for old people in the back room of a pub in Rayners Lane”. That pub was, of course, the celebrated Rayners Hotel – and the band she was singing with was NYJO. How Amy came to be singing with [...]
Read more ...Chris Eldred gets Parliament’s vote
July 22, 2011 by Steve
Earlier this month NYJO keyboard player Chris Eldred became one of just six winners of this year’s All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group’s prestigious jazz scholarships, awarded in partnership with Yamaha and in association with Jazzwise and PPL. The scholarships, each worth £1000, were presented at the Group’s annual ‘Summer Jazz’ event at Portcullis House, [...]
Read more ...NYJO Starts ‘Em Young!
July 22, 2011 by Steve
The recent World Première of the NYJO ‘Graduates’ Band at The Manor in Ruislip was a unique occasion, for a number of reasons. For the first time, this special gig gathered together ex-NYJO players from across the generations – Sean Whittle (Tommy Whittle and Barbara Jay’s son) from the early ‘80s; Alyson Cawley (neé Adams) [...]
Read more ...Kwabena Adjepong & Goldie’s Band – the story continues…
March 30, 2011 by Steve
If you tuned in to BBC2 at 9.00pm on 26th March to watch Goldie’s Band: By Royal Appointment, you’ll now know that NYJO vocalist Kwabena was one of the talented young musicians selected by Goldie, and a number of musical mentors – Soweto Kinch, Cerys Matthews, Steve Abbott, Guy Chambers and Ms Dynamite – to [...]
Read more ...Laura Jurd wins the Big Band category in the Dankworth Prize
February 11, 2011 by Nyjo
The NYJO band is full of amazing young players….and Laura Jurd is one of them. Congratulations to her for being the winner of the Big Band category in the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition 2011. Laura is in her second year studying jazz trumpet and composition at Trinity Laban and has been awarded the prize [...]
Read more ...NYJO sold out at Ronnie Scott’s 3-5 January 2011
As NYJO showcases new directions in musical repertoire this year, Mark Armstrong (pictured) directed the first set performances of new work at Ronnie Scott’s to a full house for the last two nights and is set to raise the roof again this evening. Yesterday’s performance saw the second night of NYJO’s residency where the first set, entitled [...]
Read more ...A trip to the palace for Bill Ashton, OBE
November 25, 2010 by admin
Today marked the investiture of Bill Ashton, OBE at Buckingham Palace. On what felt like the coldest morning this winter, the Ashton family and members of the NYJO board met at the gates of Buckingham Palace to receive Bill Ashton, OBE, newly honoured and replete with his OBE medal and a truly gleeful smile. The [...]
Read more ...Preparations for NYJO’s 45th Anniversary
October 7, 2010 by Nyjo
Recent rehearsals at The Cockpit have seen NYJO1 and NYJO2 getting back into the swing of term-time practice again. Both bands first gig since September will be NYJO’s 45th Anniversary bash at the 100 Club on Sunday 10 October. With dozens of alumni featuring in the NYJO Originals and NYJO Allstars bands the afternoon and [...]
Read more ...Chris Dagley 1972-2010
July 28, 2010 by Nyjo
NYJO was extremely saddened to hear that ex-NYJO drummer Chris Dagley was killed in the small hours of Wednesday 28th July, when his motorcycle crashed on the A40 dual carriageway near White City. Chris was returning home from his regular gig with the James Pearson Trio, the Ronnie Scott house band. The shocking death of [...]
Read more ...Alan Plater CBE, FRSL (15 April 1935 – 25 June 2010)
June 28, 2010 by Steve
Alan Plater CBE, the prolific dramatist and screenwriter, who was an Honorary Vice-President of NYJO and had been a Board Member for many years, passed away last Friday. His longstanding association with NYJO came about after he saw the band play Hull, back in the days of Guy Barker. More recently he is seen here [...]
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