As a trombonist, Callum has worked with many professional bands, including the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, the Daniel Houghton Big Band, and the Gareth Lockrane Big Band, and musicians as diverse as Nigel Hitchcock, Mark Nightingale, Alex Garnett, Joss Stone, Stan Sulzmann, Guy Barker, Katie Melua, and Eric Delaney. He runs his own big band, the Callum Au Big Band, which features some of the finest up-and-coming jazz musicians, and co-leads the organ band Organism.

As a composer and arranger, Callum has written or arranged music for, among others, the BBC Big Band, the Gordon Campbell Big Band, the Jay Craig Big Band, and the Henry Armburg Jennings Big Band. With the Callum Au Big Band, he plays many of his own compositions and arrangements.

Callum’s biggest influences as a trombonist are Mark Nightingale, Carl Fontana, and Andy Martin, and as a writer Nelson Riddle, Jaco Pastorius, Laurence Cottle, Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones, David Foster, and Thad Jones. In his spare time he cooks and collects tropical fish.

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.

For two hours the orchestra delivered a punchy programme, entertaining a packed house with the best of this country’s young musicians.

Particular highlights were a beautiful arrangement of I Loves You Porgy, opening with a beguiling texture of vibraphone, guitar, muted trumpet and flute over which the alto solo soared. A high tempo Lady Be Good allowed the band to show their own appreciation for their colleagues with cat-calling for some particularly tasty solo breaks.

One thing worth mentioning was the superb sound, which isn’t easy to achieve with the Ronnie’s stage squeezed full to bursting with musicians and instruments (even the MD had to stand on the floor). Quite often a big band can be too loud, but on this stage it was perfect – probably thanks to founder Bill Ashton’s son Miles on sound.

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, 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 (right) – 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; and the charming flute of Helen Wilson (left).

There weren’t a lot of songs – only two shouts each for the female and male vocalists – which isn’t surprising with only enough room for 13 tunes and so many musicians to feature. But the few we got were a treat. Kwabena Adjepong – with a luscious low range and faultless delivery surely is a star in the making. Emma Smith (right) really stole the show with an irresistibly funky Feeling Good.Over the last year I understand that NYJO has been exploring new repertoire and branching out in its collection of music. One focus for Musical Director Mark Armstrong is to include tunes from other big bands’ pads, the choice last night being Groove Merchant: a Jerome Richardson tune from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band which was brilliantly suited to this orchestra, the sax section making child’s play of the challenging soli section.

As well as other orchestras’ music, NYJO has commissioned several works from leaders of the UK jazz scene.

We heard Hush by Nikki Iles – a haunting waltz drawing out textures and voices that aren’t often found in a big band. Beautiful. This was possibly in part owing to the fact that NYJO unusually employs a permanent French horn player and flautist, which, when added to the regular guitar, vibes, and array of woodwind available in the sax section, means that you can create something rather special.

The printed program promised another two new commissions from Julian Joseph which I’m sure could be the start of something good.

Overall, a superb night of big band jazz proudly showcasing the individual and collective talents of a unique institution in British musical life.

Review : Sarah Ellen Hughes for London Jazz Blog

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