2010–2011 Highlights
- Big Band projects with Peter Erskine, Julian Arguelles, Tony Coe, James Taylor and more
- Masterclasses and composition clinics with Dave Douglas, Seamus Blake, Jon Hendricks, Steve Gadd, Will Vinson, Jon Irabagon, Steve Lehman, Mike Moreno, FOOD, Kurt Elling’s quartet, Jonathan Kreisberg and many more
- Postgraduate composers commissioned to write works alongside Django Bates for London’s Swiss Centre
- Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize launched with an album to be released on Edition Records
- Professional Development seminars with Jon Newey (Jazzwise), Helen Mayhew (JazzFM), Dave Stapleton (Edition Records) and Sebastian Scotney (LondonJazzBlog).
- Academy student gigs at Kings Place, Ronnie Scott’s, the Forge, Pizza Express, LSO St Lukes, the 606 and the Vortex
Recent Student Successes
Academy jazz graduates are found at the cutting edge of the scene, wherever innovations are being made. John Escreet and Orlando le Fleming are working in New York; and in London Kit Downes, Gwilym Simcock and Jasper Hoiby, amongst many others, have enjoyed countless successes.
Graduates since 2002 include:
Joshua Blackmore, drums | James Maddren, drums | John Blease, drums and percussion | Ben Bryant, drums and percussion | Calum Gourlay, bass | Jasper Hoiby, bass | Tom Mason, bass | Kit Downes, piano | John Escreet, piano | Gwilym Simcock, piano | Ivo Neame, piano and saxophone | James Allsop, saxophone | Zhenya Strigalev, saxophone | Richard Turner, trumpet | Freddie Gavita, trumpet
