Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra

10/07/2024

One week to go! Apply here...

Find out more about the first Young Jazz Musician Award

03/05/2024

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17/01/2024

Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra
ON-GOING APPLICATION

To be eligible for the TSYJO, you must…

be aged between 12 – 24yrs inclusive
improvise
read music
practice every day
play either Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums, Guitar, or Sing
be a resident or student studying in Scotland

https://snjo.co.uk/tommy-smith-youth-jazz-orchestra/audition-guidelines

The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra was established in 2002 and exists to provide the most promising young jazz musicians in Scotland with a platform for creative learning, continuing personal development, and high-level performance.

Throughout its history, the TSYJO has been a byword for inclusive participation. Young people with a passion for jazz and from all walks of life have, almost inevitably, found their way into this outstanding band. They needed only to demonstrate high levels of improvisational skill to discover the route into orchestral jazz.

TSYJO recognizes promising young musicians at an early stage, provides them with experience of playing orchestral jazz as both section members and soloists, develops their skills and encourages them to reach their full potential.

With the support and encouragement of special guests from the professional Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and international jazz artists, TSYJO inspires and coaches young musicians to higher levels of achievement. Many alumni have gone on to study jazz at conservatory level and are now full-time musicians, contributing to a growing pool of professional Scottish jazz musicians.

Through the continuing engagement of these young jazz musicians in high quality tuition and training, we have consistently helped to produce winners of the Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year title. A considerable number of musicians, including current members, including saxophonist Helena Kay and pianist Peter Johnstone, have also progressed to the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, helping to maintain a succession of first-rate players.

A band whose past members include some of the biggest talents in Scottish jazz today, TSYJO has nurtured award-winning musicians including Scottish Album of the Year Award 2022 winner and Mercury Music Prize nominee, pianist Fergus McCreadie. BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2022, bassist Ewan Hastie, and Scottish Jazz Awards 2023 winners, saxophonist Matt Carmichael and trombonist Liam Shortall, who works under the name of corto.alto, are also TSYJO alumni.

Encouraging versatility, TSYJO has presented programmes of music from Woody Herman to Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to Steely Dan and to date has released three albums that have earned praise from top jazz critics internationally.

Jazz is for brave hearts, and TSYJO bears all the hallmarks of a courageous ensemble.

The TSYJO recorded audition submission is designed to assess your improvisational skills. Submit a video of yourself performing the Anthropology by Charlie Parker with a live rhythm section or a play-a-long/minus-one backing track.

03/11/2023

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tsyjo-jazz-in-dunfermline-tickets-737813117897

A superb concert of music and improvisation by the talented TSYJO showcasing music by Miles, Ella, Piazzolla, Gillespie, Basie, and Duke.

11/10/2023

My youth orchestra, TSYJO, continues its 20th-anniversary celebrations in 2023 with concerts that bring alive the energy of big-band jazz and celebrate some legendary names.

In the 20 years since I formed the youth orchestra, it has been a platform for young players to gain experience playing in a larger ensemble and develop their reading and improvising chops; quite a few individuals have gone on to play in the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. (Michael Owers, Bill Fleming, Helena Kay, Pete Johnstone, Kieran McLeod, Liam Shortall, Sean Gibbs, Calum Gourlay, Anoushka Nanguy) to name a few.

We'll play two music sets by Miles Davis, Oliver Nelson, Ella, Piazzolla, Jaco, Dizzy, Basie, and Ellington.

Please enjoy a relaxed afternoon with these talented young players and our special guests, Alyn Cosker, Bill Fleming, Craig Wild, and Michael Owers.

SAT 14 OCT: St Bride's Centre Edinburgh 2PM
Orwell Terrace, Edinburgh EH11 2DZ

SUN 15 OCT: Drygate Glasgow 2PM
91 Drygate, Glasgow, G4 0UT

Tickets available:

The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra continues celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023 with stunning concerts that bring alive the energy of jazz and pays tribute to some legendary names.

17/02/2023

Hear the amazing young musicians in my youth jazz orchestra (TSYJO) this weekend at 2 PM as we celebrate our 20th year.

The Assembly Roxy Theatre
2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh

Websters Theatre
416 Great Western Rd, Glasgow G4 9HZ

Find out more👉 bit.ly/3XYE6hR

Laura Oghagbon (Voice)

RHYTHM
Samuel Clearly (Guitar)
Ewan Johnstone (Piano)
Ben Shankland (Piano)
Ewan Hastie (Double Bass)
Mario Caribé (Double Bass Tutor)
Roan Anderson (Drums)
Garry Simpson (Drums)

TROMBONES
Michael Owers (Tutor)
Rebecca Strang
Aaron Singh
Owen Pickering

TRUMPETS
Ryan Quigley (Tutor)
Liam O'Neil
Sandy Watkins
Danni Woodnutt

WOODWINDS
Rosalind Orr
Jo Collett
Sean Hughes Megaw
Jess Koffie
James Steele

12/06/2020

As it will be jazz time (2 AM) for some of you in the UK to hear the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra segment as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center's 25th Essentially Ellington Anniversary - here's a short snippet featuring an interview with Wynton Marsalis and music from TSYJO.

Some fantastic international youth jazz orchestras are presenting their music as part of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington Festival 25th Anniv...

09/06/2020

https://jazzatlincolncenter.squarespace.com/essentially-ellington

15/02/2020

Listen to Planet Wave (part 8) 3:00 PM GMT Today
8. THE MONGOLS (1200-1300 A.D.) by T. Smith & E. Morgan

https://youtu.be/Hm3T3eGwp_Q

© Smythe Music Productions 1997
Photo of Smith by Robert Burns

Tommy Smith & Edwin Morgan collaborated on 55 poems and music from 1996 until his death in 2010. (Photo of Tommy Smith by Robert Burns)

Planet Wave was a major 10 part work commissioned in 1997 with support from the Barclays Arts Foundation. Smith then commissioned the 10 poems from Edwin Morgan. The work addressed the subject of time, creation and our world explored in word and music from the "Big Bang" in 20 Billion B.C. to 1543 A.D, and the Age of Copernicus. It was premiered at the 1997 Cheltenham International Jazz Festival. The band included an amazing cast: Tim Garland, Guy Barker, Gerard Presencer, Stan Sulzmann, Tom Gordon, Steve Hamilton, Phil Todd, Mark Nightingale, John Barclay, Dave Stewart, Geoff Gascoyne, Tommy Smith & Edwin Morgan.

Musical Conception - Planet Wave

After Smith wrote the 38 compositions for sextet for the albums: Paris, Misty Morning & No Time (Norman MacCaig's Poetry), and Beasts of Scotland all featuring Guy Barker, his compositional style and approach took an ever more and more challenging cinematic approach, heavily inspired by contemporary classical music. After comping Azure for Kenny Wheeler, Jon Christensen, and Lars Daniellson in 1995 inspired by 10 painting by Joan Miro, he desired to compose for a larger ensemble for Planet Wave and augmented the instrumentation to 3 trumpets (doubling flugelhorns), 4 saxes (doubling flutes, clarinet), 2 trombones, piano/effects, electric/acoustic bass, drums/percussion.

The music composed was directly inspired by the poems and their imagery.

The soundscapes use a Roland S-760 sampler utilizing Wind, Thunder, Rain, Explosions, Meteors, Horns, Waves, Contemporary Sounds, etc.,

The omnipresent character, spirit, shaman, in PLANET WAVE is not GOD - But you could interpret it that way if you are a believer.

Smith and Morgan remained close friends and collaborate on numerous projects.

1996 Beasts of Scotland
Toured all over the UK, with Eddie Released on Linn Records
1. Red Deer
2. Salmon
3. Midge
4. Wild Cat
5. Wolf
6. Conger Eel
7. Seal
8. Spider
9. Golden Eagle
10. Gannet

1997 Planet Wave
Recorded on BBC Radio w/Edwin Morgan

11. The Beginning [20 Billion B.C.]
12. The Early Earth [3 Billion B.C.]
13. The End Of The Dinosaurs [65 Million B.C.]
14. In The Cave [30,000 B.C.]
15. The Great Flood [10,000 B.C.]
16. The Great Pyramid [2,500 B.C.]
17. On The Volga [922 A.D.]
18. The Mongols [1200-1300 A.D.]
19. Magellan [1521 A.D.]
20. Copernicus [1543 A.D.]

1998 Monte Cristo - Toured in Scotland w/Jeff Leyton
21. The Dungeon
22. Mercedes
23. The Abbe
24. The Plot
25. Father & Son
26. Monte Cristo
27. Four Men
28. The Puppet Master
29. The Revenge
1999 Song For Glasgow
30. Song For Glasgow [Song for a City]

1999 The Millennium Suite
Premiered in the Kennedy Centre by Cleo Laine and John Dankworth

31. The Millennium Suite

2000 The Sons and Daughters of ALBA
Premiered at Glasgow International Jazz Festival

32. The Glen of Tranquility
33. Madeleine Smith [1835-1928]
34. Mary Queen of Scots [1542-1587]
35. St. Tenew [6th Century]
36. St Columba [c.521-597]
37. John Muir [1838-1914]
38. Robert Burns [1759-1796]
39. Burke & Hare [1792-1829; c.1790-1860]
40. Finella [995]
41. Janet Horne [d.1727]
42. Helen Adam [1909-1993]
43. John Knox [c.1518-1572]
44. Jenny Geddes [c.1600-c.1660]
45. William Wallace [c.1274-1305]

2002 Planet Wave [part 2]

Recording on Evolution, Spartacus Records 2003
Toured throughout the UK

46. The Juggernaut [1600 A.D.]
47. Easter Island [1722 A.D.]
48. The Lisbon Earthquake [1755 A.D.]
49. Darwin In The Galapagos [1835 A.D.]
50. Rimbaud [1891 A.D.]
51. The Siege of Leningrad [1941-1944 A.D.]
52. The Sputik’s Tale [1957 A.D.]
53. Woodstock [1969 A.D.]
54. The Twin Towers [2001 A.D.]
55. On The Way To Barnard’s Star [2300 A.D.]

2009 Planet Wave [part 3] Unfinished

© Smythe Music Productions 1997 Photo of Smith by Robert Burns Tommy Smith & Edwin Morgan collaborated on 55 poems and music from 1996 until his death in 201...

20/12/2019

Really Great Concert Tonight! - No Socks Left!
2002 and nineteen years since the establishment of TSYJO
Photo by Derek Clark