The high-profile gig generated a great deal of positive press – even prior to the event.

Ivan Hewett, writing in the Saturday Telegraph the weekend before, opined: The National Youth Jazz Orchestra isn’t as well-known as the National Youth Orchestra, but it should be. It is the seedbed for Britain’s jazz scene and over the years many composers have written pieces for its 22 talented youngsters. Go and be astonished.

Reviewing the first night of the BP sponsored residency for The Times, Clive Davis gave NYJO a 4-star rating.

He particularly praised Music Director Mark Armstrong: … Armstrong deserves no end of credit for the performance itself, the musicians delivering full-blooded ensemble work that suggested that this long-running institution is in robust health… Hard swinging arrangements were dispatched with all the confidence of hardened pros.

He also commented: The dapper Bill Ashton…can be proud of his legacy.

Clive was very complimentary about the performance of individual musicians:

• The trombonist Callum Au once again caught the eye with his exuberant soloing… (his) arrangement of September In The Rain glistened too.
• The tenor saxophonist Tom Stone (right) was imperious throughout.
• Kwabena Adjepong brought soulful authority to Georgia On My Mind while Emma Smith swung intensely on That Old Black Magic.
• … Rob Luft’s (below left) slashing rock guitar added a slightly more contemporary aura to Groove Rider…

The London Jazz Blog also celebrated: “…a superb night of big band jazz, proudly showcasing the individual and collective talents of a unique institution in British musical life”.

“In this 25-strong band, each and every member made a valuable contribution, but there were a few stand-out individuals who deserve a mention:

• lead trombonist Callum Au (right), who has a bright future as a composer – possibly a film scorer if his arrangement of Something’s Coming is anything to go by
• Lucas Dodd – a terrific solo on Caravan 
• Nadim Teimoori – whose tenor solos rose up above the band while still responding to their every twist and turn
• drummer Scott Chapman – playing some impossible rhythmic solos and driving the band throughout
• the charming flute of Helen Wilson”.
  

A full transcript of the London Jazz Blog review can be found by going to Gig Reviews.

That’s because Lord (Sebastian) Coe – well-known as a former athlete, now the head of the 2012 London Olympics and a NYJO Vice-President – has been invited to guest-edit the 26th December edition of Today.

And, as a self-confessed jazz enthusiast, Lord Coe apparently insisted that his favourite music – played by some of his favourite band – be featured in his programme.

As a result, a NYJO Quintet – with Mark Armstrong (tpt) leading Jim Gold (alt), Chris Eldred (keys), Conor Chaplin (bs) and Scott Chapman (drs), playing Mark’s specially arranged version of Sleigh Ride, live, on air – will have the honour of providing Today with an unprecedented musical sign-off, starting at about 8.55am.

Just prior to this coda, Lord Coe will almost certainly be mentioning NYJO’s New Year gig at Ronnie Scott’s and, depending on the time available, may well be able to talk some more about the band and its long-time influence on the development of British jazz talent.

So be sure to tune in to on Boxing Day hear the NYJO Quintet making a little bit of Radio4 history – and if you can’t rouse yourself that early, catch this unique occasion later, with the BBC’s ‘Listen Again’ feature…

This year promises to yield some exciting projects for NYJO, beginning at Ronnie’s with the premier of 2 specially commissioned pieces by one of the UKs best known jazz figures, Julian Joseph (above left). The programme will also feature the work of NYJO members and classics from the canon of great big band jazz writing.

Auditions and selection for chairs in NYJO 2012 will take place from November – full details are on the Join NYJO page of this website.

NYJO is moving from its old selection protocol, based on demonstrated capability during its open rehearsals, to a transparent selection process.  This is in order to position the NYJO performing band as the best of the best in youth big band jazz.

After an extensive period of consulting regional youth jazz orchestras, the Jazz Services Education Panel, The Arts Council and heads of the Conservatoires, the selection process is now in place.  NYJO’s Music Director Mark Armstrong will chair a selection panel which includes representation from the Conservatoires and regional youth orchestras as well as two senior jazz musicians. Selection events for NYJO 2012 will be held in Leeds and London.

Mark Armstrong stated: “Change is necessary – previously NYJO was often seen as a great finishing school for session musicians and a lot of our material focussed on sight-reading. Now the professional climate has changed, and much of this work has gone.

“While all the vital skills of reading, being a team player, composing and arranging, guiding less experienced players, etc. still need to addressed, many of our musicians now want a more jazz-oriented experience.

“A deeper engagement with groove and creative improvisation in the widest range of musical styles will help build tomorrow’s community of active jazz musicians. To achieve this we need a performing squad of the best 30-35 young jazz players, regardless of where they are and whatever their background.

“NYJO, NYJO 2 and NYJO London will still be offering open rehearsals every week, and it remains the case that anyone who wants to can find a place in the NYJO learning structure – one of the aims is to make great readers more creative and musically sensitive, and help the creative, sensitive players get better reading chops!

“But the performing band will now be selected, and it’s likely that the very best of the UK’s young jazz players will have considerable ability on both sides of the coin.”

NYJO’s Chief Executive Nigel Tully said “It has taken two years of hard graft to get all of this established.  It will probably take a year or two more to make a difference.  Youth jazz educators will get up to speed and make it happen for their musicians.  Groups that feel they have been under-represented now have a transparent process on which to focus.  And if musicians want to be the best of the best, then we have provided a big band route.”

Further rounds of auditions and selection will take place on an annual basis, at around the same time each year.

A unique agreement between CUK and NYJO – building upon various informal partnerships that already exist between NYJO and individual conservatoires – will allow students from the eight member conservatoires to gain professional experience and achieve artistic excellence at a national level.

This newly formalised relationship between CUK and NYJO will help foster a mutually supportive environment in which British youth jazz education is stimulated by the opportunities presented by a peer group of ‘the Best of the Best’. 

Amongst many new initiatives contained within the agreement:

• CUK students who play with NYJO will be given opportunities to gain first-hand performance experience alongside some of the UK’s leading young jazz performers at both educational and commercial gigs.
• CUK students will gain access to a broader network of musicians, thereby increasing the likelihood of high-quality professional employment.
• CUK students will also get the opportunity to write and arrange their own material and have it performed professionally.
• NYJO and individual conservatoires will agree regional residencies, and summer schools, and determine how NYJO workshops, rehearsals, gigs or compositions can form part of CUK students’ coursework, contribute to their degree studies or help their professional development programme.
• A fund will be set up to aid those CUK students and NYJO band members who live or study a long way from London.
• From January 2012 a 30-strong “pool” of musicians will form the core of NYJO, from which 22 players will be selected for concert performances. Membership of the core group will be selected by a committee comprising NYJO Musical Director Mark Armstrong, a representative of CUK, a representative of Regional Youth Jazz Orchestras, and an independent jazz musician of national repute.

The agreement, signed by CUK Chairman Professor John Wallace and NYJO Chairman Nigel Tully, will provide new opportunities for CUK students and give NYJO greater access to a vibrant artistic and academic resource. 
  
Professor John Wallace said: “I am delighted that CUK is reinforcing its links with NYJO – it is important to instil a real sense of collaboration between the UK’s conservatoires and our great orchestras and this is an excellent starting point.”

Nigel Tully added: “This partnership will help cement NYJO’s role at the centre of British jazz education. I’m particularly glad that our tradition of preparing young musicians for professional life sits so well alongside the training provided by our leading academic institutions, who are clearly giving jazz the attention that this serious art form deserves.”

Honorary Vice President of NYJO Sebastian Coe commented: “I’m very pleased about this exciting new partnership, which confirms what I have long thought – that NYJO is the UK’s elite team for youth jazz. I look forward to even more success for NYJO, on the national and international stages.”

Photographs : © 2011 Laurence Harvey

The Ellerman Foundation funds a wide range of national charitable activities, with particular emphasis on the Arts and is particularly interested in charities which can demonstrate:

• Excellence at the national level
• Youth participation, motivation and development
• Commitment to attracting new audiences and wider public access
• Originality and creativity in design, production and/or presentation

Around half of all Ellerman grants are for core funding, since the Foundation recognises the vital importance of such investment, especially to small and medium sized charities such as NYJO.

“27-year old Richard played with NYJO during 2003/4 while studying at the Royal Academy of Music. He was a formidable trumpet player and a hardworking and generous musician, loved and respected by his fellow musicians and friends.

“He was also responsible for starting and maintaining jazz at the Con Cellar Bar in Camden, North London – singlehandedly building it up as a jazz club of the highest reputation – booking such acts as Mark Turner, Jason Palmer, Larry Grenadier, The Freddie Gavita/Calum Gourlay Big Band, Gwilym Simcock and Julian Siegel.

“Richard’s mentor, NYJO alumnus Gerard Presencer, put it well when he said: ‘Richard was a fantastic trumpet player and a great explorer of the music. He was destined for great things (he was already doing great things). He was also a lovely, lovely person and extremely popular amongst his peers as he worked tirelessly and selflessly to keep his club going – he will be terribly missed by so many people.’

“Richard was an inspiration to all those who knew him – he was an honest, caring human being with a wicked sense of humour, and he was a true friend.”

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 the band on 16th July 2000, and an appreciation of how a recording of that concert could help benefit the orchestra’s charity funds, is covered at length on page 13 of The Times (Saturday 30th July).

Bill Ashton also remembers Amy’s brief association with NYJO for LondonJazz:
http://londonjazz.blogspot.com/2011/07/amy-winehouse-and-nyjo-photos-and.html

Photo: Bill Ashton

The scholarships, each worth £1000, were presented at the Group’s annual ‘Summer Jazz’ event at Portcullis House, House of Commons on the 13th July. The winners, representing the cream of young British jazz talent, were nominated for special consideration by the heads of jazz at six of the UK’s leading conservatoires.

In addition to Chris (second from right), a student at Trinity College of Music, Jazz FM radio star Helen Mayhew and Yamaha Music Education Manager Bill Martin presented scholarships to Nick Costley-White, a guitarist studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama; Chris Hyson who studies Double Bass at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; drummer Jonathan Silk, a student at Birmingham Conservatoire and tenor saxophone students Riley Stone-Lonergan from Leeds College of Music and Josh Arcoleo from the Royal Academy of Music.  

As well as receiving their scholarships, all six winners were given the unique opportunity to showcase their talent at the Palace of Westminster, not only to Members of Parliament from both Houses who are interested in jazz but also to prominent invitees from the jazz community, including the press, venue operators and record company executives.

The Board and trustees of NYJO would like to offer Chris their sincere congratulations for such an outstanding achievement.

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) from the mid to late 90s; Simon Meredith, Martin Gladdish and Darren Altman from the turn of the century – to revisit some classic numbers from NYJO’s extensive library.

Also, it was the first time (as far as we know) that a married couple have played together in a NYJO band – Tom and Alyson Cawley contributing their keyboard and baritone prowess respectively to the venture.

But a highlight of the afternoon was seeing their young daughter Greta sitting in with the sax section for most of the second set – she took it very seriously too! Proof positive that you can never be too young to play with …