MYJO – Trinity High School
A CAPACITY audience were thoroughly entertained by the widely acclaimed Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra under the baton of musical director John Ruddick, MBE, at Trinity High School and 6th Form Centre, Redditch, last Monday (December 7).
With Christmas almost upon us, their two sets on the evening contained many classics together with plenty of seasonal material.
The concert was promoted by The Rotary Club of Redditch, in partnership with the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra (MYJO), to help support MYJO’s work in music education and Rotary Club’s local charity, St Basils, which helps combat youth homelessness in Redditch.
Ruddick, an in-demand jazz trumpeter and flugel-horn player, has performed with top ensembles including the BBC Big Band, the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, the Shirley Bassey Orchestra and the Stanley Black Orchestra.
He was awarded the MBE in 2014 for his services to music education, a well-deserved recognition for his leading role in MYJO for over 20 years.
The performance included some excellent vocals from 21-year-old singer Katy Gaskin, and culminated with her singing ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ a duet with the band’s saxophonist Sam Craig, a song the duo had never before performed together in public.
Malcolm Jones
