WIGAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL - 25TH ANNIVERSARY - JULY 10TH-17TH 2010

New location: from March 2010: WHELLEY EX-SERVICEMEN'S CLUB, VAUXHALL RD, WIGAN, WN1 3LU

Pictures of February concert now online... We're moving back to Wigan from March.... directions and pictures from the new venue online...

W.Y.J.O.

	Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra
	WYJO gig list updated 10/02/10
	Wigan Jazz Club Big Band
	Ian Darrington

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra

Musical Director - Ian Darrington, MBE

WYJO performing at Lowton Civic Hall, on February 28th 2010

The multi-award winning Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra was formed in 1976 by the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. Essentially a training ground for young musicians, the Orchestra aims to develop the skills of its members through the performance of big band music from the 1930’s to the 1990’s. The repertoire is extensive and features music from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Ted Heath, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and many others. In addition it also features original works composed especially for the Orchestra.

Under the experienced leadership of Ian Darrington the Orchestra’s reputation is such that touring has become a major part of a very busy schedule, one that includes over fifty performances per year.

Since 1982 the Orchestra has toured as follows: -

1982 – USA , Indiana & New York

1983 – British Tour

1984 – Aberdeen International Youth Festival

1985 – Hong Kong

1986 – Edinburgh Festival

1987 – Hungary

1988 – USA & France

1989 – Poland

1991 – Czechoslovakia , Canada & Eire

1992 – Galway Festival (Eire) & France

1993 – USA , California & Arizona

1994 – Israel

1995 – USA , New York & Arizona

1996 – The Faroe Islands & France

1998 – Kuala Lumpur , Singapore , Perth , Syndey & Brisbane

2000 – New Orleans

2001 – Yaroslavl International Jazz Festival Russia

2002 – South Africa

2003 – California & Arizona

2004 - Romania

2008 - Northern Spain, Angers (France)

2009 - Ireland

The Orchestra has worked with many of the world’s top musicians including Maynard Ferguson, James Morrison, Bobby Shew, Marion Montgomery, Salena Jones, Georgie Fame, Don Lusher, Kenny Baker, Tommy Whittle, Buddy Childers, Elaine Delmar, Geoff Love, Bill Watrous, Bill Perkins, Conte Candoli, Joe Newman, Phil Wilson, Don Rader, Jiggs Whigham, Alan Price.

This outstanding Orchestra has received many national and international honours. These include: -

BBC Radio Big Band Competition – Junior Winners 1989 & 1991

(Runners Up on two occasions)

Senior Section Winners 1994

(Runners Up on three occasions)

Senior Section Winners 2000

Individual Awards

Whilst playing with the Orchestra in the BBC Big Band Competition the following players received the awards listed below: -

Ashley Frohlick (Best Soloist 1986)

Malcolm Melling (John Dankworth Award for Most Promising Musician 1997)

Paul Walker (Composition Award 1988)

Matthew Leaver (Best Soloist Award 1989)

Andy Prior (Don Lusher Trombone Award 1990)

Paul Mitchell-Davidson (Marty Paich Arranging Award 1992)

Andy Cuss (Outstanding Musician 1993)

Guy Walsh (Kenny Clare Memorial Drum Award 1995)

Alistair White (Don Lusher Trombone Award 1999)

Alistair White (Don Lusher Trombone Award 2000)

Andrew Greenwood (Outstanding Musician 2000)

National Festival of Music for Youth – Outstanding Performance 1986

Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Competition – Winners 1988

Czechoslovakian Jazz Festival – Most Impressive Performance 1991

Eurofanfare – Villefranche de Rouergue - Outstanding Performance 1992

Prudential Arts Awards – Shortlisted 1992

Alistair White – Young Jazz Musician of the Year 1997

Jonathan Murray - full scholarship to Manhattan School of Music

At the annual conference of International Association of Educators held in New Orleans January 2000 musical director Ian Darrington was awarded the Humanitarian Award for Jazz Education.

Since 1985 the Orchestra has released ten albums and a forty-minute documentary video. Recorded on Wigan MBC Education Department’s record label Gateway Records (set up by the Orchestra), these albums have sold to over twenty-five countries. Additionally the recordings are broadcast regularly on radio stations throughout the world. The BBC World Service has featured tracks by the Orchestra taking the music of Wigan ’s youth to well over fifty countries.

The albums are as follows: -

Steaming Jazz GW001

The Lion & The Dragon (Impressions of Hong Kong ) GW002

Aim for the Heart featuring guest soloist Bobby Shew GW003

Lipstix featuring Eric Delaney & Bobby Shew GW005

One More Time featuring vocalists Andy Prior & Lois Fairclough GW006

Czech it Out GW007

Swingin’ Down the Lane featuring vocalist Mike Higham GW008

Another Milestone GW 009

Yesterday’s Today GW010

Well Seasoned GW011

featuring the Christmas Music of Stan Kenton & guest soloist Don Lusher

Spirit of Friendship GW012 featuring 30 minute suite composed by Richard Iles celebrating the partnership with the South African Youth Jazz Association

LATEST RELEASES:

Now On Sale:

THE BEST OF WIGAN YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA

A double CD set featuring 34 tracks selected from each of Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra's albums, newly remastered. It features Bobby Shew, Don Lusher, Eric Delaney and vocalists Andy Prior, Lois Fairclough and Mike Higham - available at all Wigan Jazz Club sessions, and all WYJO concerts for only £12! Or buy by mail order for £13.50 (inc. p&p) from: Gordon Humphries, 19 Cleveleys Road, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 2SR (telephone 01925 727408)

Please make all cheques payable to WIGAN YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA.

Wigan Jazz Club presents...

THE ALL-NEW W.Y.J.O. CD "C U IN DA CODA"

The fabulous new recording by WIGAN YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA. Available at all Wigan Jazz Club sessions, and all WYJO concerts - price £10. Also available by mail order from:

Gordon Humphries, 19 Cleveleys Road, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 2SR - price £12.50 inc. p&p. Plese make all cheques payable to WIGAN YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA.

A three-week tour of the Far East and Australia was arranged in August 1998 to celebrate twenty-one years of WYJO. Concerts and workshops took place in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Sydney & Brisbane.

In January 2000 the Orchestra travelled to New Orleans on a ten-day visit to perform at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference. The trip was recorded by the BBC and broadcast as a thirty minute documentary on BBC 2 television.

The Orchestra travelled to Russia where they played to capacity audiences at the Yaroslavl International Jazz Festival.

In the summer of 2002 the Orchestra made a three week tour of South Africa playing concerts in Cape Town, East London, Durban and Johannesburg. In April 2003 WYJO travelled to California, Arizona and Mexico. In October 2004 the Orchestra are made a six day visit to Romania performing in Sinaia, Bushten and Bucharest. WYJO graduates continue to forge careers in the jazz world.

The touring tradition has continued, with a tour to Northern Spain in March-April 2008 , and a visit Wigan's twin town of Angers (France) in Summer 2008. In July 2009, WYJO visited Ireland, and the members of that tour have recorded tracks for a CD which features music played on the tour (release date as yet unknown).

For 2009-10, the have been major personnel changes in the band, as older musicians move on (many to music colleges or professional work) and a new WYJO generation emerges. There is no doubt that the proud WYJO tradition is in good hands.

For the latest WYJO pictures click here.

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra chooses to play electronic equipment from the range of products by Peavey.

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra endorses Zildjian cymbals

The brass section of WYJO use Marcinkiewicz mouthpieces.

The brass section and saxophone section play Yamaha instruments exclusively.

For further information on the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra please contact: -

Ian Darrington

139 Wigan Lane

Wigan WN1 2NB

Lancashire UK

Tel: 01942 243974 Fax: 01942 255217 Mobile: 07785 982524

E-mail: ian.darrington@blueyonder.co.uk

W.Y.J.O. GIGS (updated 10/02/10)

DATE	EVENT	LOCATION	TIME
Mon.19th Apr.	School in St Helens	----	(meet 5.30pm)
Sun.20th June	Southport Melodic Jazz Club	Royal Clifton Hotel, Southport	Morning concert
Sun.4th July	Grimsby Jazz Festival	----	(meet 10am, return late)
Mon.12th July	Wigan International Jazz Festival with Bobby Shew	----	----
8th-22nd Aug.	Possible Irish tour	8/9 days between these dates	----
Sun.12th Sept.	The Grand, Clitheroe	Clitheroe, Lancs.	Doors open 12 noon, music 1.00-3.00pm

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Wigan Jazz Club Big Band

WJCBB at April 2009 Jazz Club (Lowton Civic Hall)

WJCBB is the senior band formed from graduates of the award-winning Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra. During its first 25 years, WYJO established an enviable reputation for producing a host of excellent musicians, many of whom went on to become professionals. The standard of the band remained consistently high throughout that time, and their awards, tours and recordings are well-documented.

In 2001, Ian Darrington took the difficult decision to relaunch WYJO with a younger group of musicians, ensuring that the famed WYJO ‘production-line’ would continue to roll. This meant that the existing line-up , many of whom were already established as professional musicians in their own right, and had a wealth of experience playing as a unit, needed a new ‘face’, and so WJCBB was born. Since then WJCBB have made regular appearances at Jazz Club and elsewhere, proving that they have the talent and versatility to play the most challenging of arrangements, both on their own or with a variety of vocalists and soloists. Since the formation of WJCBB, more recent alumni of WYJO have joined its ranks, maintaining the superb standard of playing which is synonymous with Wigan Jazz Club Big Band.

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Ian Darrington

© William Ellis

Ian Darrington is currently Director of Jazz Performance for Wigan Council Education Department with special responsibility for jazz education, having joined their instrumental teaching staff in September 1977. Ian was educated at Dudley College of Education, Huddersfield Polytechnic and Bretton Hall College of Education.

He is the founder and director of the Wigan International Jazz Festival, now in its nineteenth year and co-founder of the Wigan Jazz Club now in its twentieth year. He is also musical director of the award winning Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra, a post he has held for over twenty-three years. During this time he has produced eleven albums the most recent of which was released in November 1999. Through his work with the Orchestra he has toured France , USA (five times) Hong Kong , British Columbia , Poland , Ireland , Czechoslovakia , South Africa , the Faroe Islands, Hungary , Israel , Kuala Lumpur , Singapore , Australia and Romania .

Artists that Ian & WYJO have worked with include Maynard Ferguson, Bobby Shew, Salena Jones, Georgie Fame, James Morrison, Buddy Childers, Conte Candoli, Bill Perkins, Eddie Bert, Bill Watrous, Elaine Delmar, Marion Montgomery, Jiggs Whigham, Don Rader, Don Lusher, Kenny Baker, Eric Delaney, Phil Woods and many more.

Ian has performed big band workshops throughout Europe, South Africa and the USA . He served as a clinician for the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Competition working in schools and colleges throughout the United Kingdom . He was adviser and guest musical director to the Cork School Of Music Big Band between 1993 and 1996. During the summer of 1999 he performed a series of big band workshops in Singapore .

In 1997 he was awarded a Master of Arts Degree from Liverpool University and in December 2004 was awarded a Ph.D at the same University. The subject of his thesis is ‘An Investigation in to the Evolution of Trumpet Mouthpiece Design and the Relationship Between the Effects of Design and the Music of the 20^th Century with special reference to jazz and big band music.

At the 2000 International Association of Jazz Educators Conference in New Orleans Ian Darrington was awarded the Humanitarian Award for Jazz Education.

In September 2000 the Rotary Club awarded Ian a Community and Vocational Award in recognition of services within the community.

In October 2001 Ian was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace . The award was for his services to music and was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on 15^th June 2001.

From 2002, until the organisation's closure in 2008, Ian served on the board of the International Association for Jazz Education, serving as the European representative.

Ian Darrington can be contacted at:-

139, Wigan Lane, Wigan WN1 2NB Lancashire UK

Tel 01942 243974 Fax: 01942 255217 Mobile : 07785 982524

E-mail: ian.darrington@blueyonder.co.uk

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Wigan Jazz Club is the home of and

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra

WYJO gig list updated 10/02/10

Wigan Jazz Club Big Band

Ian Darrington

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra

Ian Darrington