WALSALL JAZZ ORCHESTRA

This page is dedicated to a British Big Band that came out of yet another excellent youth orchestra from the West Midlands, the other being the award winning Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra.

The West Midlands, by the way, is in the industrial heartland of the United Kingdom, just a few miles outside Birmingham.

Many years ago there used to be a lot of music activity in the area due to the proximity of BBC studios. A lot of fine, caring musicians developed extra curricula activities with informal groups, big bands etc., the result being a healthy reserve of talent that was directed, unselfishly, towards providing situations for young people to develope skills. I know it is more complicated than that but the result has been a consistantly high standard of youth jazz orchestra. None of them related to any particular school, college, none of them receiving outside funding. They exist almost entirely unsponsored.

The two main youth orchestras are, without doubt, in my opinion the best in the U.K.

John Hughes, the director of the WALSALL JAZZ ORCHESTRA, is a teacher, a trombone player, a bassist and overseer of the fortunes of the various Walsall area youth orchestras. In the past he has inspired young musicians to progress through the young 'feeder' bands into the WALSALL 'YOUTH' JAZZ ORCHESTRA. His frustration was the extra-ordinary standard of the YJO and the need to replace older musicians constantly due to age limits and recognising the fact that invariably they were unable to find situations that used the considerable talents he had helped them develop.

John decided to compromise and keep the 'feeder' bands going and enjoy the satisfaction of retaining the senior talent. So the Walsall Youth Jazz Orchestra is now the Walsall Jazz Orchestra, and the average age of the band must be around 25 years now.

CDs is available from W.J.O., 36 Jesson Road, Walsall, West Midlands. Telephone: 01922 35262. Click address for e-mail contact.

THE DEVIL IN DETAIL

WJO CD0003

Recorded Kingston Upon Thames November 2000

Track listing

1. The Devil Was In the Detail (Comp/Arr' Tim Amann)
2. Coincidence (Composed Mike Gibbs)
3. The Nearness Of You (Washington/Carmichael)
4. Better Days Ahead (Comp' Pat Metheny)
5. Birds In Flight (Dave Blackmore)
6. Funktional (Comp' Arr' Dave Hackbridge Johnson)
7. Nothing And No-One Else (Tim Amann)

• Trumpets: Paul Bennet,Karen Blackmore, Kevin Johnson, Henzie Miller
• Trombones: Sue Hughes, Helen Miller, Tom Walter, Paul Slater
• Reeds: Anna Brooks, Tildi Horton, Sam Rogers, Adreja Sapoc, Penny Hughes
• Rhythm: Tim Amann -piano/keyboard
• Guitar: Richard Sandford
• Bass: Adam Gilchrist
• Drums: Carl Hemmingsley

Trumpets: Helen Cooper, Paul Bennett, Karen Blakemore, Henzie Miller, Dave Smith
Trombones:Sue Hughes, Helen Miller, Richard Hollingsworth, Paul Slater
Reeds:Chris Aldridge, Anna Brooks, Phillipa Venables, Sam Rogers, Tildy Horton, Penny Hughes.
Rhythm: Tim Aman & Tom Porter on keyboards Trevor Lines on Bass Carl Hemmingsly on Drums

I love the way this CD has been mixed, it is a full natural sound with the drums reproduced beautifully.

Be prepared for outstanding interpretations of the contempory writing of Curnow/Metheny. In fact if you own the latest Bob Curnow Big Band CD on MAMA, and you enjoy it, then you will enjoy this recording. The solos are imaginative and mature. No single musician should be singled out. Having said that, one must take into account the solid, confidance inspiring sound of the bass (Trevor Lines) and the drums (Carl Hemmingsley). Not forgetting the excellent lead trumpet, who I suspect was Helen Cooper. Glenn Miller fans beware!!!

John Killoch

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Copyright © 1997 John Killoch
This Home Page was created by WebEdit,22 September 1997
Most recent revision 22 September 1997