My name is Digby, and I play trumpet and saxophone. I first joined NYJO Under 18s after my music teacher suggested it, and I haven’t looked back since. NJYO has really cemented my passion for jazz and all music.
There are two groups every Saturday, Ensemble with Winston Clifford and Band with Olivia Murphy. Ensemble generally focuses on more modern and experimental forms of jazz, whereas Band has more traditional big band instrumentation. I currently only do Band, but I have heard great things from the many people that do both groups and hearing the Ensemble play speaks for itself.
A session in Band usually starts with a group warmup, focusing on scales and some jazz theory. While this may sound daunting, Olivia makes sure everyone is understanding. These warmups often help me with my own practice at home as well as while improvising. Although the Band is the more traditional of the two groups, we still play a wide range of music, from full big band arrangements to much more open arrangements, where every performance is different.
I have played in other jazz bands where at the start of each term, you are given 3 or 4 charts that you will be playing for the next few months. But NYJO is nothing like that. Most weeks we end up playing something we’ve never played before, allowing us to collectively choose what we want to perform.
As well as this, NYJO is a very judgement-free and friendly place. I have genuinely liked everyone I’ve met here. Some people join already equipped with jazz knowledge and experience, and others may have never played jazz. It is a great space for everyone to improve at their own pace. Everyone gets plenty of chances to improvise, but if you don’t want to, its completely fine. However, there is always space for everyone to take a solo on every gig, which has been an excellent chance for me to build my confidence. Everyone clearly has a passion for music with many people arriving early and staying late to jam with each other.
I would say the biggest thing NYJO has done for me is encourage me to keep pursuing music, and I am now planning to study jazz at a music college after my A-levels. Just the chance to play with other passionate, amazing musicians every week is incredible. I would absolutely recommend NYJO to any young musician with an interest in jazz.
- Click here to find out more about the NYJO Under 18s, including how to join.