Trinity Laban Ellington Repertory Big Band ft MD Pete Long
The Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a historic, highly-regarded institution founded in 1872. Musicians coming through its Jazz Programme have recently claimed numerous awards and nominations, including two BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Awards, multiple Jazz FM Awards, Parliamentary Jazz Awards and MOBO Awards, and the Mercury Prize in 2023, the first ever to go to a jazz group. This afternoon, under the auspices of Music Director Pete Long – himself a renowned jazz musician, who’s CV includes the crème de la crème of West End Theatre shows, as well as working with Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Tom Jones, Norah Jones, Solomon Burke, Dr. John, Lulu, Georgie Fame and Lionel Richie – the Ellington Repertory Big Band has prepared some of the great concert pieces associated with jazz legend Duke Ellington. Along with your favourite Ellington hits, you’ll hear versions of “Mood Indigo” and “The Tattooed Bride” from the Masterpieces album of 1950, and what became known as the Concert version of “Take The A Train” (complete with the unison scat vocals from the whole ensemble). Now in its second year, the Big Band has made a name for itself with the astonishing spectacle of such young musicians demonstrating a thorough grasp of the techniques necessary to get to the essence of Ellington’s writing. Bravo!