[Dixielandjazz] Shameless Self-Promotion!

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi All,

The BBC used to run an annual UK Jazz Awards event, which tended to be more like a London Jazz Awards event. It got dropped this year, I think on cost grounds, but in Scotland, which has a thriving, if small, jazz scene of outstanding quality, various organisations got together this year to stage the first Annual Scottish Jazz Awards. There are some good jazz education courses here turning out an annual crop of very accomplished young players. You can imagine that this results in a jazz scene skewed towards the more contemporary styles of the music.

Well, last night's 2009 Awards ceremony produced a dark-horse winner in the Best Band category: My Classic Jazz Orchestra, which has Jelly Roll Morton's compositions at the heart of its repertoire, as well loads of Bix, Oliver, Armstrong, Ellington and much more besides, got the top prize. I was as surprised as anyone else and was temporarily rendered speechless. I think one of the reasons for our success was the fact that we've got a number of outstanding young players in the band, who otherwise play in very contemporary sounding bands, but who enjoy playing the older styles as well, as it gives them an opportunity to play jazz history, rather than just hear or read about it.

Naturally I shall milk the award for all its worth, but suspect it won't result in increased bookings.

Cheers,

Ken Mathieson
www.classicjazzorchestra.org.uk