On Saturday May 1 2010, The Tomorrow's Warriors Biggish Band won first prize in the 11 and under 19 age group category of the Yamaha Jazz Experience's 'Jazz Ensemble Improvisation Competition', which took place at the Playhouse Theatre, Cheltenham, during this year's Barclays Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Under the direction of Tomorrow's Warriors Artistic Director, Gary Crosby OBE, the Tomorrow's Warriors Biggish Band line-up of Zuri Jarrett-Boswell - piano, Will Burcher - double bass, Ruben Fox - tenor saxophone, Rosie Turton - trombone, Oneke Tebbs - alto saxophone, Moses Boyd - drums and Mark Kavuma - trumpet, performed two compositions, Sonny Rollins' 'Oleo' and Charlie Parker's 'Cool Blue'. They were competing against the jazz ensembles Friendly Bacteria (Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department, London) and Chetham's Jazz Sextet (Chetham's School of Music, Manchester).
The judging panel of Julian Joseph (internationally acclaimed jazz pianist and Jazz Experience workshop leader), Andrea Vicari (jazz professor at Trinity College of Music, professional jazz musician with Andrea Vicari Trio, director of Dordogne Jazz Summer School and Jazz Experience workshop leader), Lianne Carroll (inspirational jazz singer, 2008 Parliamentary Jazz 'Musician of the Year' award winner), Peter Ind (Jazz Experience patron and legendary jazz double bass player) and Richard Michael (2009 Parliamentary Jazz 'Jazz Educator' award winner and Jazz Experience workshop leader), were looking for creativity, musicality and communication - with both the audience and between band members.
The first prize, presented by Bill C. Martin, Music Education Manager at Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK), includes a prestigious gig at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, London, and a 3,000 UK pounds Yamaha certificate.
Gary Crosby said: “We have worked really hard and this prize is so important to us as it acknowledges that although our ambitions are not yet fully realized, we're moving in the right direction. All the young musicians in the Tomorrow's Warriors programme continually exceed my expectations with their passion, dedication and love of playing jazz together as a group."
Bill C. Martin said: “I would have paid to see any of the ensembles in the finals of last Saturday's Yamaha Jazz Experience finals at Cheltenham Jazz Festival! Some of our distinguished judges were visibly moved by the effort, energy, passion and skill we saw and heard last Saturday and Julian Joseph and Liane Carroll have already spoken with some of the incredible young performers to give them further encouragement. Because of the high standard the judges had a very difficult job to choose only three winners but eventually reached unanimous agreement with Dumfries Youth Jazz Group winning the under-17 category, Junior Guildhall's Blue Shift ensemble winning the under-17s and Tomorrow's Warriors Biggish Band winning the under-19s. Yamaha's vision for music education is to encourage more people to engage with music making and to help teachers make it an inspiring and a life-changing process. I feel we've achieved that this weekend."
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Background:
Tomorrow's Warriors' aim is to create learning and performance opportunities for aspiring young jazz musicians, with a special, but not exclusive, focus on those from the African diaspora. The company was founded in 1991 by Artistic Director Gary Crosby OBE and his partner, Janine Irons MBE. It was established as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee in 1998.
Through its special association with the Southbank Centre, Tomorrow's Warriors has a weekend residency which has given its young musicians the opportunity to work together on a regular basis.
Tomorrow's Warriors is a regularly funded organization of the Arts Council.
Tomorrow's Warriors sits under the multi-award winning Dune Music which is a platform for promoting and recording Britain's most talented jazz artists, with a growing collection of jazz albums and an expanding catalogue of original published jazz repertoire. Both Dune Music and Tomorrow's Warriors are committed to upholding the highest standards of artistic and technical excellence.
Under the direction of Tomorrow's Warriors Artistic Director, Gary Crosby OBE, the Tomorrow's Warriors Biggish Band line-up of Zuri Jarrett-Boswell - piano, Will Burcher - double bass, Ruben Fox - tenor saxophone, Rosie Turton - trombone, Oneke Tebbs - alto saxophone, Moses Boyd - drums and Mark Kavuma - trumpet, performed two compositions, Sonny Rollins' 'Oleo' and Charlie Parker's 'Cool Blue'. They were competing against the jazz ensembles Friendly Bacteria (Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department, London) and Chetham's Jazz Sextet (Chetham's School of Music, Manchester).
The judging panel of Julian Joseph (internationally acclaimed jazz pianist and Jazz Experience workshop leader), Andrea Vicari (jazz professor at Trinity College of Music, professional jazz musician with Andrea Vicari Trio, director of Dordogne Jazz Summer School and Jazz Experience workshop leader), Lianne Carroll (inspirational jazz singer, 2008 Parliamentary Jazz 'Musician of the Year' award winner), Peter Ind (Jazz Experience patron and legendary jazz double bass player) and Richard Michael (2009 Parliamentary Jazz 'Jazz Educator' award winner and Jazz Experience workshop leader), were looking for creativity, musicality and communication - with both the audience and between band members.
The first prize, presented by Bill C. Martin, Music Education Manager at Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK), includes a prestigious gig at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, London, and a 3,000 UK pounds Yamaha certificate.
Gary Crosby said: “We have worked really hard and this prize is so important to us as it acknowledges that although our ambitions are not yet fully realized, we're moving in the right direction. All the young musicians in the Tomorrow's Warriors programme continually exceed my expectations with their passion, dedication and love of playing jazz together as a group."
Bill C. Martin said: “I would have paid to see any of the ensembles in the finals of last Saturday's Yamaha Jazz Experience finals at Cheltenham Jazz Festival! Some of our distinguished judges were visibly moved by the effort, energy, passion and skill we saw and heard last Saturday and Julian Joseph and Liane Carroll have already spoken with some of the incredible young performers to give them further encouragement. Because of the high standard the judges had a very difficult job to choose only three winners but eventually reached unanimous agreement with Dumfries Youth Jazz Group winning the under-17 category, Junior Guildhall's Blue Shift ensemble winning the under-17s and Tomorrow's Warriors Biggish Band winning the under-19s. Yamaha's vision for music education is to encourage more people to engage with music making and to help teachers make it an inspiring and a life-changing process. I feel we've achieved that this weekend."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Background:
Tomorrow's Warriors' aim is to create learning and performance opportunities for aspiring young jazz musicians, with a special, but not exclusive, focus on those from the African diaspora. The company was founded in 1991 by Artistic Director Gary Crosby OBE and his partner, Janine Irons MBE. It was established as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee in 1998.
Through its special association with the Southbank Centre, Tomorrow's Warriors has a weekend residency which has given its young musicians the opportunity to work together on a regular basis.
Tomorrow's Warriors is a regularly funded organization of the Arts Council.
Tomorrow's Warriors sits under the multi-award winning Dune Music which is a platform for promoting and recording Britain's most talented jazz artists, with a growing collection of jazz albums and an expanding catalogue of original published jazz repertoire. Both Dune Music and Tomorrow's Warriors are committed to upholding the highest standards of artistic and technical excellence.
