MYJO
MYJO
To view the cover of the CD click here MYJO's latest 'CD TWIST OF THE WRIST' now available at CDBABY
FRIENDS OF BIG BAND JAZZ r from MAINLY BIG BANDS or you can write to:
John Ruddick, New House, Hampton In Arden, West Midlands B92 0AH. telephone 0167544 2050.. for your copy.
MYJO IS STILL UNBEATEN - AS I WRITE IN 2006 - IN THE BBC NATIONAL BIG BAND COMPETITION (SENIOR UNRESTRICTED SECTION) AND IS LIKELY TO TO BE THE FINAL WINNER OF THIS COMPETITION AS THE BBC HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL NOT HOST THE EVENT IN THE FUTURE
Amended:FEBRUARY 2006
CLICK HERE TO VISIT OFFICIAL MYJO PAGES AND UPCOMING CONCERT INFORMATION
UNNOFFICIAL PAGE OF THE
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Ultimately, the least ex-members achieve is a satisfying, creative hobby, those who are more ambitious become 'in demand' semi-professional musicians. The rest enjoy quality professional careers in the music industry. A remarkable number are popular session musicians in London.
BBC Radio Two has an annual big band competition culminating in a national broadcast. The competition is on two levels, one is for age limited youth orchestras and the other is unrestricted as far as age is concerned.For many years the M.Y.J.O entered the lower echelon competition and won every time the rules have allowed them to enter.
Many individual prizes were scattered among the band members. JOHN RUDDICK, the musical director, became frustrated at the rule which prohibited winners from entering the next year (at the same level). Biting the bullet he decided to enter the unrestricted senior competition.
Since that decision was made several things have happened, MYJO has won every year including the 1998 competition, the standard from other bands has developed and the BBC has changed the rules , so now having won, it cannot enter for two years instead of one!This silly rule change has not only annoyed the band's administrators and members, but it has also disappointed other 'youth' orchestras who actually like to see the group in the competition. Some feel that the achievement of winning is diminished by the fact that they were unable to challenge the (alleged) best band.
The victory in 1998 was particularly dramatic as so many key players had moved on due to age and professional commitments. John Ruddick yet again lifted his 'new' band to the professional standard of the recent past. I don't think it is mentioned in this piece but MYJO is not only able to hone specific material to a high standard of performance for competition. It can also sustain it's quality throughout full concerts of the same standard of material. It can in fact perform a large portion of the library to this standard at any time, such are the reading and performing skills of members.
This year 2004, MYJO achieved an ambition, that was the opportunity to enjoy the company of Bob Florence, a man who's music has become a staple of the MYJO. New music was introduced to the band and a wonderfully well received concert followed. Proving again that MYJO is a SPECIAL group that for nearly 25 years has dominated the British scene as far as provincial YJO's is concerned. It has lifted the standards of all YJO's and been punished by the BBC for being too good as I have mentioned.
Not so many years ago the diet of youth orchestras consisted mostly of basic Nestico or Basie charts and selections from the repertoire of the then current NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA. The music became - in my opinion, a cliche, producing predictable and uninspired performances. Now, here I have to under-line something . Read it again you will see that I am talking of the NYJO music of some years ago. The current NYJO is, as ever, an exceptional collection of younger musicians including, over the years many musicians from the MYJO. The music they play is complex and demanding of the members of the band.The fact that NYJO's library contains very little, if any standard material, is a minus point with many. I am one of those who thinks this is disappointing. I do sense, however that the character of the library is changing, becoming more accessible to the audience as well as being educationally relevant.This seems to be to be due in part to work by new young composers and arrangers including the exceptional Martin Williams.
With JOHN RUDDICK that all changed. Although his respect for the work of N.Y.J.O. continued, the M.Y.J.O. library changed. He did not want the band to sound like every other Y.J.O. in the U.K. He found that the balance between finding challenging music that would inspire and develop young musicians,and would also inspire and entertain an audience, was possible using the music of some of the great contemporary big bands in the USA. After all they gave JAZZ to the world. They had, consistently the finest writers, arrangers and musicians (I know there are exceptions). This is how the music of BOB FLORENCE, DON MENZA, ROB MCCONNELL, TOM KUBIS and more recently BOB CURNOW with his METHENY inspired arrangements and many others came to be included in the MYJO library. This excellent, audience friendly, but demanding music, performed at a professional standard, with the enthusiasm only to be found with young musicians, soon had audiences thrilled. So the 'difficult for difficulty's sake' music was consigned to the back of the pad and the exciting new sounds, which made even more technical demands on the musician, became the norm.
Back to MYJO....While stocks last you can still hear the band on its self sponsored LIVE CD as well as it's current recording, or at one of its many concerts up and down the country. Contact me or the address of MYJO on these pages.
One final point is the fact that you can have this fine band gracing your festival. Contact me or write direct to John Ruddick at the above address. There has to be a fee due to the financial structure of the organisation.
MYJO would not be where it is without the consummate tutelage of JOHN RUDDICK the Musical Director and exceptional musician. John plays his trumpet with the BBC Big Band and many of the professional orchestras in the UK.
You can e-mail me for a list of concerts or e-mail John Ruddick, New House, Hampton In Arden, West Midlands B92 0AH. telephone 0167544 2050.. The group is also one of the most popular function bands around, having an excellent library of dance music too.Footnote There are frustrating consequences to running a top Y.J.O. There comes a time when members reach the age limit and move on. Occasionally there are few opportunities for them to play at the level they have been accustomed to. More importantly they have to be replaced and an organisation with the standards of MYJO cannot afford to lower its standard to accomodate the newer members. So... they have to work just that little bit harder and amazingly arrive very quickly at an acceptable level of security. It is OK when one or two members have to go but when, coincidentally, a whole section disappears, then you have to have some respect for the problems it gives the musical director and the pressure it puts on remaining members.
The M.Y.J.O. has decided to address at least some of the questions posed and has supported the creation of a new big band in the West Midlands. Ex-members and other top Midlands musicians have been invited to join the new band which is led by John Ruddick Junior (trumpet). Rejoicing in the name of FATCHOPS - link to 'Chops page, this band plunders the libraries of the best contempory writers/arrangers as well as featuring some new music from local writers. As you may gather from its name the band features an excellent brass section as well as a remarkable saxophone and rhythm section. Watch the local press for details, contact me or telephone 01675 44 2050. Also check out their excellent CD!
Another chance to link to the official MYJO pages by clicking the logo!
