Policy Statement

This event is being organised by a local committee of musicians and jazz fans.

Our aim is to promote jazz on the Isle of Wight. Members of the committee will not receive any financial reward. Inspected accounts will be made available on request.

The committee will cover the cost of the main venues and headline acts. This will be funded by sponsorship, ticket sales and other fund-raising activities.

Any subsequent profits will go towards funding future events.

We will encourage other performances during the period. However, we will not act as agents. It will be the responsibility of the performers and venues to negotiate between themselves.

click here to hide

The BBC Big Band

The BBC Big Band, originally known as the BBC Radio Big Band is a British big band run under the auspices of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). It consists of professional musicians and is directed by a number of conductors. These include arranger and composer Barry Forgie, who has been the band's Musical Director since 1977, American jazz trombonist Jiggs Whigham, and guest musical directors.

In 1994, the BBC announced that it had decided to dismantle the Big Band. However, due to overwhelming public opposition to the decision, an agreement was reached, whereby the band would continue to exist, but would be managed outside the BBC and its musicians would be freelance rather than BBC staff. As well as continuing its Big Band Special programme, the band now also appears frequently on Friday Night is Music Night on Radio 2, has a BBC Radio 3 home on Jazz Line Up, appears regularly at the BBC Proms and can be heard frequently on BBC Radio Scotland's Jazz House programme. It also reaches worldwide audiences through the BBC World Service, satellite radio and the Internet.[1] The BBC Big Band has been voted the best Big Band in the British Jazz Awards in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2014.

The band has played with musicians such as Van Morrison, Michael Bublé, Tony Bennett, George Shearing, Michel Legrand, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Lalo Schifrin, Dr. John, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Kurt Elling, Mark Murphy, Jack Bruce, Ed Thigpen, Monty Alexander, Norma Winstone, Clark Terry, Amy Winehouse, Koop, Claire Martin, Ian Shaw, Lea Delaria, The Manhattan Transfer, Buddy Greco, Phil Woods and New York Voices.

Watch the BBC Big Band with Lalo Schifrin at Jazzwoche Burghausen 2016