BBC Big Band

Biography

The BBC Big Band is widely regarded as the UK’s leading Big Band. It has won the prestigious ‘Best Big Band Award’ at the British Jazz Awards six times and has entertained thousands with international stars such as Tony Bennett, Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Amy Winehouse, Dr John and Ray Charles.

The BBC Big Band has performed many times in the BBC Proms series at London’s Royal Albert Hall and also at the Proms in the Park concerts. Previous performances have featured guests such as Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, and collaborations with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

A regular fixture on the jazz festival circuit, the Band has played all over the UK and recently travelled to Mexico, joining forces with the RPO in a Beatles-inspired tour. They appear regularly on the radio and have their own concert season at London’s Cadogan Hall. These concerts highlight the Band’s acclaimed versatility, ranging from stage and screen hits to contemporary arrangements of classics, and Rat Pack favourites.

At the recent BBC Play It Again event at Symphony Hall in Birmingham, the Band worked with Black Voices and hundreds of aspiring musicians from the area, in an educational music project which was widely acclaimed by both the media and the public. The BBC Big Band continues to participate in an outreach programme in partnership with Birmingham Town Hall – particularly with local school and community music groups.