Friday 14 November 2025
THE BIG COLORS BIG BAND featuring BRANDON ALLEN, MARK ARMSTRONG, JAKUB KLIMIUK, KATE WILLIAMS and Special Guest vocalist, JO HARROP!
MID-CENTURY COOL - the music of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane and more!..
The excellent Big Colors Big Band was formed in 2008 by former National Youth Jazz Orchestra trumpet player, David Shires, and by The Spin Jazz Club founder, drummer Dr Mark Doffman. Their album is available on the 33Jazz record label.
Brandon Allen: Saxophonist, originally from Perth, Western Australia, relocated to London in 2000. Since then, he has worked with many high-profile artists including Kyle Eastwood, Eric Clapton, Jools Holland and James Torme.
Mark Armstrong: Trumpet player, composer, arranger, Jazz Professor at the Royal College of Music and former Musical Director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Mark is also a music examiner for the ABRSM and plays regularly with Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra.
Jo Harrop: Now firmly established as one of the most distinctive singer-songwriters in British jazz. She recently made her USA debut with shows at some of the country’s most prestigious venues including New York’s Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at the Lincoln Center, and San Francisco’s SFJAZZ Center.
Jakub Klimiuk: Polish jazz guitarist, composer, and bandleader based in London, he has recorded and shared the stage with Mark Lockheart, Jonas Kullhammar, John Horler, Dave O’Higgins, and Krystyna Stańko. Working with both UK-based and international projects, he has performed at major jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express, the 606 Club and the Vortex.
Kate Williams: Jazz pianist and composer, born in London into a musical family - her father is the guitarist John Williams. Her most recent CD is Finding Home, a collaboration with vocalist Georgia Mancio and Four Plus Three which won Best Album at the 2020 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.
Video 1 ("Maiden Voyage"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPgIqNBooTI
Video 2 ("Chet's Call"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrYQgtMM7kQ
Video 3 ("Little Sunflower"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1WVdInMsUc
