MJF: Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra

Royal Northern College of Music is delighted to welcome back award-winning pianist and composer, Nikki Iles, as she takes her 20-piece Jazz Orchestra on a national tour, marking a new chapter in a long and distinguished career in British jazz. She gathers commissions from over the years, new orchestrations of her own small band tunes and new compositions, all played by the remarkable band she has assembled. The depth and range of the exhilarating writing and arranging illustrate Nikki’s seasoned hand and distinctive voice, with the music brought to vivid life by a top-drawer band.

‘Iles is one of the most refreshing figures to have emerged in the UK scene in recent times, with a liquid sound and supple, obliquely resolved phrasing as an improviser’. – The Guardian

Nikki Iles piano, conductor
Gareth Lochrane flute
Andy Schofield flute, soprano & alto saxophones
Paul Jones flute, alto saxophone
Tori Freestone flute, tenor saxophone
Karen Sharp clarinet, tenor & baritone saxophones
Julian Siegel tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
James Copus, Henry Lowther, Nick Smart, Tom Walsh trumpets
Gordon Campbell, Richard Henry, Ollie Martin, Harry Maund trombones
Mike Walker guitar
Steve Watts double bass
Ian Thomas drums