Sketches of Spain with Laura Jurd at Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra are teaming up to present a special one-off performance of Miles Davis’ classic 1960 album “Sketches of Spain”, featuring Laura Jurd in the role of Miles Davis.
4th fantastic review of “Sweet Sister Suite” for London jazz News
The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) under the direction of Tommy Smith continue their rich vein of form with this superb rendition of Kenny Wheeler’s Sweet Sister Suite, originally commissioned some 20 years ago and now finally out on CD.
Kenny Wheeler’s Sweet Sister Suite
The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra are delighted to announce that our CD, Sweet Sister Suite featuring Laura Jurd and Irini Arabatzi is available to purchase on the Spartacus Record label.
A New Chapter In Jazz from SNJO: Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Sweet Sister Suite’
The history of jazz is littered with tales of unsung heroes and overlooked genius. It could be argued that trumpeter and composer, the late Kenny Wheeler was one such musician. He moved almost invisibly through the mainstream milieu, yet, he was universally admired by his peers for his important contributions to jazz composition.
A great Review for our latest CD: Kenny Wheeler’s “Sweet Sister Suite”
In 1996, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s director, Tommy Smith commissioned the late Kenny Wheeler to write a suite which, some twenty years on, has been recorded by the seventeen-piece big band. Joining the all-star line-up on this Spartacus Records’ album are Laura Jurd (trumpet) and Irini Arabatzi (voice).
Another fabulous review of our newest CD “Sweet Sister Suite”
THE Scottish National Jazz Orchestra is making a habit of championing under-sung heroes. Firstly, with its reworking of Bobby Wellins’ long neglected Culloden Moor Suite and now with this piece, which SNJO director Tommy Smith commissioned from the great British-Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, the orchestra has paid tribute to two musician-composers, neither of whom would […]
Kenny Wheeler’s Sweet Sister Suite / The Music of Mary Lou Williams
The specially commissioned Sweet Sister Suite was composed by the late Kenny Wheeler for the SNJO in 1997 with parts for trumpet and voice
The Herald: A 5* Review for SNJO’s Porgy & Bess and Sketches of Spain
There will be jazz orchestra concerts that create much bigger musical storms and specifically Scottish National Jazz Orchestra concerts that feature more familiar instrumentation. This one, though, has to go down as particularly special. It was the sort of occasion that illustrates how there’s no substitute for being in the room where and when the […]
Porgy & Bess and Sketches of Spain: a 5* Review
The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra stopped off at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh tonight as part of an all too short performance schedule performing “Sketches of Spain” and “Porgy & Bess”. These two visionary collaborations between Miles Davis and Gil Evans marked a watershed point in the critics’ and public’s perception of Jazz as a […]
SNJO prepare to take on Miles Davis’ interpretations of jazz classics
Porgy and Bess / Sketches of Spain: A concert preview. The SNJO covered both albums with Gerard Presencer early in its history. This time around, the now internationally celebrated orchestra features another guest trumpeter, plus a stalwart of their own, with Sketches being fronted by the acclaimed young player Laura Jurd, currently a BBC New […]
