If by any chance you find yourself in The Netherlands this week and want to know where we are and what we’re doing you can click on the web-link below for further details of our gig guide and tour – hope to see you there! AMC Big Band

After an amazing few days, packing in a gig with Sir John Dankworth, (who, by the way, donated £400 of his fee to the band’s tour fund – thank you!) Mark Nightingale and Simon Hale, end-of-term performances and commitments, a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, a school trip and many other things besides, the band held a final rehearsal on Friday night before gathering in the Aylesbury Music Centre car park at 7am Saturday morning.

First stop, the National Youth Music Festival in Birmingham, playing first up before many of the other young jazz musicians and ensembles had arrived in the city, let alone the venue. Normally this is a great opportunity to see and hear youngsters of a similar age giving it their best shot, but this year Aylesbury Big Band had just enough time to unpack their instruments, play their three pieces, change into comfortable travelling clothes, get back on the bus and head for Harwich and the Hook of Holland.

The performance was high-energy and full-on. Did the adjudicators notice Ben Treacher’s mishap with his soprano sax? He removed his mouthpiece along with his cover as he stood up to play. Thinking quickly and running on adrenalin, he transposed his solo and made up an alternative on his tenor as he went along – a real pro response. Only Nick Care’s music fluttering to the floor gave any hint to the audience all was not as it should be…

Is the band excited about the week to come? Watch this space…

The AMC BIG Band will soon be playing with the legendary Sir John Dankworth,  the amazing trombonist Mark Nightingale, renowned composer, arranger & keyboard player Simon Hale & young outstanding vocalist Holly Brewer!

Hope to see you at the Tring Festival Gig!

Do check out our web site for further information! AMC Big Band

The Aylesbury Music Centre Big Band are THE ONLY school aged band in the world to be invited to play at the world’s largest Jazz Festival. – The North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. Other Artists include: Jamie Cullum, Duffy, Herbie Hancock & Lang Lang, B.B. King, James Taylor, & of course… the AMC BIG Band!!

Click on our website for further details – hope to see you there! AMC Big Band

Watch this space for news of one of the most exciting jazz bands in the nation…

Coming soon…