National Youth Jazz Orchestra - Collection '1990-2006

Tracks list

In 1965 Bill Ashton, a teacher at a London school, formed the London Schools
Jazz Orchestra. This was an organization in which youngsters could pursue
musical ambitions in a setting that related to music which interested them,
rather than forms imposed upon them by the educational hierarchy. Thanks to
Ashton’s persistence in the face of establishment hostility the orchestra
survived, later becoming known as the London Youth Jazz Orchestra and,
eventually, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 1974 NYJO became a fully
professional organization and remains the UK’s only full-time
professional big band playing jazz. Although Ashton’s conception was to
create an atmosphere in which young musicians could develop their craft, NYJO
has long since passed the stage of being either a training ground or even a
‘youth’ orchestra.

The extraordinarily high standard of musicianship demanded by the band means
that newcomers to its ranks must have already achieved a very high standard of
technical competence before auditioning. Ashton’s leadership is a mixture
of democracy and benign autocracy. The band’s members choose the music,
which varies from the brand-new to charts originally played by editions of NYJO
that were on the road when present members were barely walking, and Ashton
organizes the musicians’ choices into an entertaining programme. Although
the nature of the orchestra means that it is in an almost constant state of
flux, NYJO has developed an identifiable sound. Much of the music that is played
by the band is original, often written by members, and everything is especially
arranged. While many arrangements are ‘in-house’, others come from
outside. Among the arrangers are Paul Higgs, David Lindup, Brian Priestley,
Chris Smith, Terry Catharine, Bill Charleson, Neil Ardley, Alec Gould and
Ashton. Many exceptional talents have passed through NYJO’s ranks over
the years, including Steve Argüelles, Julian Argüelles, Chris Hunter,
Lance Ellington, Paul Hart, Dave O’Higgins, Phil Todd, Andy and Mark
Nightingale, Stan Sulzmann, Chris Laurence, Richard Symons, Gerard Presencer and
Guy Barker. Ashton’s interest in songwriting has ensured a succession of
good singers with the band, including Sumudu ‘Sunny’ Jayatilaka,
Carol Kenyon, Helen Sorrell and Litsa Davies.

Over the years NYJO has travelled extensively, appearing in various European
countries and also visiting the USA. The band’s many albums have proved
successful and help spread the sound of a remarkable orchestra that, although
effectively the creation of one man, has come to represent the best in big band
jazz and consistently denies its name by being both international and fully
mature.




Tracks:



1990 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Cookin With Gas

01. Beyond The Hatfield Tunnel (6:34)
02. Hot Gospel (6:57)
03. Step On The Gas (2:53)
04. Mr. B.G. (4:06)
05. Be Gentle (4:43)
06. Behind The Gasworks (6:06)
07. Cookin With Gas (5:56)
08. SWonderfuel (7:17)
09. We Care For You (5:27)
10. Big Girl Now (3:54)
11. Gasanova (4:04)
12. Afterburner (3:35)
13. Water Babies (5:31)
14. The Heat Of The Moment (3:34)



1990 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Portraits

01. Blues At The Bull (3:41)
02. Woody (5:04)
03. Basie (4:48)
04. Dizzy (4:41)
05. Duke (4:21)
06. Bird (3:37)
07. Quincy (9:20)
08. Monk (6:08)
09. Duke II (4:21)
10. Kenton (4:13)
11. Buddy (7:10)
12. Point Of No Return (2:03)
13. Come On The Blues (3:31)
14. Royal Flush (4:12)
15. Southern Horizons (4:50)



1991 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Remembrance

01. Remembrance (for Jim) (8:26)
02. Remembrance (for Chris & Eamonn) (4:15)
03. Remembrance (for Kenny & Charlie) (8:01)
04. Remembrance (for Valery) (1:30)
05. Ill Never Forget (5:12)
06. Half-Steps (5:16)
07. Snakes And Ladders (5:41)
08. Long, Hot Summer (5:25)
09. Rodeo (3:13)
10. Yessica (5:00)
11. Take The C & A Trane (5:25)
12. Almost There (4:17)
13. Give Up (2:54)



1992 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – These Are The Jokes (Live)

02. First Time Ive Seen Dead People Smoke (6:32)
03. Keep Looking Young - Hang Around With Old People (5:15)
04. The Chefs Rash Has Cleared Up Nicely (6:22)
05. Much Too Much (4:26)
06. No Hair - Just A Red Head (8:39)
08. Roxy Beaujolais (5:39)
09. The Audient Was On Its Foot (7:08)
10. Watching The Traffic Lights Change (6:15)
11. Dont Go To Her (4:28)



1993 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Hallmark

01. Hallmark (5:26)
02. I Have Been Here Before (5:10)
03. Blood Orange (7:15)
04. Adeus Tristeza (4:53)
05. Samba For Cheryl (5:29)
06. Have You Seen Them Cakes? (6:59)
07. U-Turn (5:23)
08. Suits Me (6:00)
09. While The Cats Away (4:47)
10. Reepicheep (8:53)
11. Taras Tuesday (6:03)
12. Castles In Spain (4:27)



1994 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – In Control

01. High Speed Gas (4:18)
02. Willow, Green Willow (5:16)
03. El Sid (5:35)
04. Groovin With Gas (7:02)
05. You Were Marvellous, Darling (5:29)
06. Miles Away (4:17)
07. In Control (9:18)
08. 50,000 Flies Cant Be Wrong (4:44)
09. Vilamoura (7:02)
10. Off-Shore Peers (6:09)
11. Gas Mark 2 (6:54)
12. Dont Drink On An Empty Head (12:12)



1995 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – A View From The Hill

01. Marston Pedigree (4:45)
02. Flight Of The Heart (6:49)
03. A View From The Hill (7:37)
04. Dont Try And Argue With Me (4:13)
05. Norwich Union (6:41)
06. Riffin The Griffin (7:34)
07. Ballad For Anne Boleyn (7:49)
08. Fleet (5:21)
09. Samba Deeze, Samba Doze (4:29)
10. Someone (3:41)
11. Luton Hoo (8:23)
12. Astra Brazilia (6:55)



1995 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Cottoning On

01. Sea Island Samba (9:32)
02. Miss Malfatti, I Presume (5:12)
03. Cottoning On (6:05)
04. A Lady Can Tell (4:09)
05. One For Oscar (3:49)
06. Tenor Each Way (8:09)
07. Blues For Duke (8:14)
08. Be Gentle (5:08)
09. The Night Is A Pup (6:21)
10. Night Slide (9:13)
11. Gasbag Blues (3:28)



1996 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Unison In All Things

01. For Starters (4:28)
02. In A Daze (4:42)
03. Youd Think Id Learn (4:23)
04. Along Came Benny (6:25)
05. Dearly Beloved (5:58)
06. I Wasnt Looking For Love (3:37)
07. Unison In All Things (9:40)
08. Eyes Down (3:32)
09. Reprieve (5:56)
10. Never The Twain (5:06)
11. How Can You Believe In Love? (5:40)
12. Atropus (4:52)
13. Blues For Mike (6:58)
14. For Starters (0:46)



1997 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – 47 Frith Street

01. Sweet London Bridge (6:16)
02. The Whole Thing (6:19)
03. El Rey Pedro (6:00)
04. Roxy Beaujolais (7:16)
05. Not Really (4:13)
06. In The Hour Before Dawn (5:57)
07. The Kosher Horses (8:06)
08. Late Night Blues (5:56)
09. London (5:18)
10. New In London (4:47)
11. Headache (5:07)
12. 47 Frith Street (7:57)
13. Will Ye No Come Back Again (4:18)



2003 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – Jazz In Film

01. Modesty Blaise (3:27)
02. Suite From Bullitt (10:01)
03. Touch Of Evil (5:58)
04. Cinderella Liberty (4:02)
05. Dudley Moore Tribute (8:12)
06. The Gauntlet (6:36)
07. The Taking Of Pelham 1, 2, 3 (7:04)
08. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (5:04)
09. The Man With The Golden Arm (5:25)
10. Walk On The Wild Side (4:32)
11. Dirty Harry Suite (7:37)
12. Austin Powers Soul Bossa Nova (4:31)



2006 • National Youth Jazz Orchestra – London Pride

01. Five Ring Fanfare (0:55)
02. London Pride (3:34)
03. Citrus Fruit With Bells On (6:04)
04. A Nightingale Swang (5:54)
05. London (4:25)
06. Lisson Groove (3:49)
07. My Old Dutch (6:45)
08. Londons Burning (7:07)
09. New In London (5:00)
10. Pop Goes The Weasel (5:38)
11. A Foggy Day (5:35)
12. London By Day (4:56)
13. 2:02 To Tooting (9:13)
14. Follow The Van (6:54)



2006 • The National Youth Jazz Orchestra Of Scotland – Scotland
Suite

01. It Had To Be You (2:23)
Scotland Suite
02. Prelude (2:17)
03. Take Your Auld Cloak About You (4:23)
04. Auld Lang Syne (3:01)
05. For The Lack Of Gold (She Left Me) (6:35)
06. Auld Lang Syne Reprise (1:42)
07. How Deep Is The Ocean? (4:36)
The Carnival Of The Animals
08. Animals Parade (1:45)
09. Lions (4:19)
10. Monkeys (4:25)
11. Fauns (4:42)
12. Kangaroos (4:10)
13. Elephants (5:55)

Related artists