.From Spring 2023, NYJO presents an 18-strong Jazz Orchestra to perform a mixture of new and existing arrangements to celebrate the iconic Blue Note Records and its incomparable contribution to jazz music.
Blue Note is one of the most prolific, influential and respected record labels of the mid-20th century. Blue Note is also synonymous with the central tradition of Black American Jazz and noted for its role in facilitating the development of musical movements such as hard bop, post-bop and avant-garde jazz.
In doing so, it also paved the way for a myriad of musicians who navigated their mould-breaking careers on the label including, Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Grant Green, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, and Jackie McLean.
Riding the wave created by 2022’s Basie & Beyond project, NYJO’s Blue Note Big Band continues to champion emerging UK composers, this time by challenging them to absorb and reinterpret the era-defining music that materialised on Blue Note during the 1950’s.
During a time when NYJO looking to expand, grow and experiment, it is projects like this that allow both performers and music fans to reflect on some of jazz’s greatest auteurs.
Contact details
Please get in touch with us at [email protected].
About NYJO
NYJO exists to empower young jazz musicians and inspire audiences across the UK, through engaging participation projects and impactful live performances. Founded in 1965, NYJO has grown from a single jazz orchestra to a multifaceted organisation that is committed to supporting and developing musicians of all styles and standards. Whether you want to become the next emerging artist or simply play for fun – they’re here for it.
Throughout all its activities, NYJO are actively seeking to create a dialogue; between the established and the experimental; the past and the present; with captivating experiences that bring people together.