National Youth Jazz Orchestra at Redditch Palace Theatre

The 23-piece orchestra tonight presents its new programme: ‘Female Jazz Icons’, part of its EQ project: remixing the gender balance in jazz. Female jazz musicians have long been an important part of the jazz scene, celebrated as singers but in other roles too: though often under-represented. Our concert will include music composed and played by musicians from a colourful variety of styles and periods, from Bessie Smith, trumpeter Valaida Snow, composer and pianist Mary-Lou Williams to trombone player and arranger Melba Liston. Works from contemporary artists like Maria Schneider, pianist and arranger Helen Sung, drummer Teri Lynn Carrington from the USA are joined with music by home-grown musicians like Zoe Rahman, Nikki Iles and Laura Jurd...

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The 23-piece orchestra tonight presents its new programme: ‘Female Jazz Icons’, part of its EQ project: remixing the gender balance in jazz. Female jazz musicians have long been an important part of the jazz scene, celebrated as singers but in other roles too: though often under-represented. Our concert will include music composed and played by musicians from a colourful variety of styles and periods, from Bessie Smith, trumpeter Valaida Snow, composer and pianist Mary-Lou Williams to trombone player and arranger Melba Liston. Works from contemporary artists like Maria Schneider, pianist and arranger Helen Sung, drummer Teri Lynn Carrington from the USA are joined with music by home-grown musicians like Zoe Rahman, Nikki Iles and Laura Jurd. No concert would be complete without a celebration of vocal artists like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone plus contemporary classics by artists such as Laura Mvula. We are excited to highlight the great music of jazz musicians who happen to be female!

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