Birmingham Jazz at 50 In a very special gig at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra will celebrate 50 years of Birmingham Jazz – a crucial contributor to the current thriving jazz scene in the city. Following a student support set in the Eastside Jazz Club at 6.30pm, the audience will transfer to the Recital Hall for the BJO performance, which will include the premiere of a brand new multi-movement suite of music by five Birmingham-based composers, specially commissioned for the occasion by Phil Rose at Birmingham Jazz. Each movement is inspired by the musical influences from Birmingham Jazz’s five decades: Mov 1 (composed by Ed Puddick ) is influenced by the Jazz-Rock of the 1970s, including Mike Gibbs, Neil Ardley and Ian Carr. Mov 2 (composed by Alicia Gardner-Trejo ) celebrates some of the joyous music being made in the UK jazz scene in the 1980s. Mov 3 (composed by Jonathan Silk ) reflects the maturing compositional style of writers like Kenny Wheeler in the 1990s. Mov 4 (composed by Dave Sear ) remembers the expanding musical influences of the early 2000s on the UK jazz scene. Mov 5 (composed by Alex Astbury ) takes inspiration from all five decades of Birmingham Jazz to create a uniquely contemporary finale. Following the conclusion of the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra set there will be a student-led jam session in the Eastside Jazz Club, so bring your horn and join in the celebration! Birmingham Jazz Orchestra have been bringing vibrant original big band music to the scene for a decade now. With two albums under their belt featuring original music by Birmingham musicians, they are a staple of the jazz scene in the midlands and UK. More recently, they have been busy with their residency at Birmingham’s Digbeth Jazz, and are constantly expanding their eclectic pad of music full of original compositions and arrangements by members of the band, alongside doing gigs with guest composers (Nikki Iles, Josaphine Davies, Charlie Bates). BJO are a regular sight at Symphony Hall, Digbeth Jazz and the Birmingham Conservatoire, and bring an exciting and contemporary energy to the jazz and big band scene here in the UK. Saxes/Woodwinds Chris Bowden Mary Wakelam-Sloan Dan Spirrett David Bustos Alicia Gardener-Trejo Trumpets Gareth Howell Nick Dunham Aaron Diaz Alex Astbury Trombones Dave Sear Joe Carnell Rosie Smithers Pearce Abbey Rhythm Section Aidan Pope guitar Andy Bunting piano James Owston bass Jonathan Silk drums Running time approx. three hours and 30 minutes