Saturday 9 November 2024
The Big Colors Big Band feat. Brandon Allen, Mark Armstrong & Jakub Klimiuk!
An Evening of Mid-Century Cool – the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and more...
The Big Colors Big Band was formed in 2008 by former National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Bill Ashton’s Graduates trumpet player, David Shires, and by The Spin Jazz Club founder, academic and drummer Dr Mark Doffman. Great players who have appeared with the band include Callum Au, Tom Walsh, Louis Dowdeswell, Jim Gold, Binker Golding, Dave Newton, Andy Panayi, Art Themen and Steve Waterman.
Saxophonist Brandon Allen is originally from Perth, Western Australia and has been based in the UK since 2000. He has worked with many high-profile artists and ensembles, is a session musician and an accomplished composer and arranger. His distinctive sound has been featured on film soundtracks including Alfie (2004) and The Look of Love (2013), and has featured on 4 Kyle Eastwood albums and performed with Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Mica Paris and Neil Diamond.
Trumpet player Mark Armstrong is also a composer, arranger and teacher based in London. He is Jazz Professor at the Royal College of Music and was up until recently Musical Director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He also teaches composition and arranging at the London Centre of Contemporary Music and is a music examiner for the ABRSM. He plays regularly with the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra and is an alumni of Clark Tracey's Quintet.
Guitarist Jakub Klimiuk: has recorded and shared the stage with the likes of Jonas Kullhammar, Mark Lockheart, John Horler, Dave O’Higgins and Krystyna Stańko, working with both UK-based and international projects. He has played at several European festivals, including the Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival and Sopot Molo Jazz Festival, as well as concert halls such as the Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic.
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
