It didn't really take us ten years to make this CD but it is a great celebration of the band and what we have achieved since we were formed over ten years ago. The CD only costs £8 and this includes postage and package to anywhere in the UK.
Visit our IJO Music page to listen to some samples or Click Here to order your CD today !
IJO's first event of 2012 will be an evening of strict tempo ballroom and latin dancing. The event takes place in association with Aldworth Community College. There is a great dance floor, great music and great community bar prices ! Bring your own nibbles to eat during the evening.
Tickets cost £12.50 each but if you buy 10 you get one of these free (10 for the price of 9) !. Get your tickets from one of the following outlets:
Simon Ward - 07932 673579 - enquiry@innovations-jazz-orchestra.co.uk
This is an evening concert of swing with IJO and the Reading School Big Band. Last years concert was a great succes and this year promises to be even better. Tickets cost £5 each and are available from the school community office on 0118 901 5600 All proceeds are going towards the school music department to raise funds for new instruments.
The Mayors charity dinner and dance takes place at the Hampshire Court hotel from 7.30pm to midnight. All monies raised will go to the mayors charity appeal which this year is supporting the Samaritans, Basingstoke RadCan and the Basingstoke and District Disability Forum. The evening starts with a drinks reception on arrival at 7.30pm, followed by a three course meal, tea/coffe and mints. Barclays Corporate and Thales will be supporting this charity event and raffle prizes have already been donated by Sony, Slaters, Whitchurch Silk Mill, Primark and Tony Purslow. There will be two sessions of dancing from IJO to make the evening go with a real swing. Tickets cost £45 per person and, as in previous years, are expected to go quickly and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. It is advisable to ‘stake your claim’ for tickets – money can be sent later if necessary. Please email debbie.collins@basingstoke.gov.uk for an application form. Full details about the event can be found here
This open-air jazz picnic continues to grow in popularity and we had nearly 400 people last year enjoying some wonderful weather. 2012 will be our TENTH YEAR of supporting Save The Children and we are planning to bring along some special guests to help us celebrate this ten year milestone. Tickets go on sale later in the year but please put the date in your diary and start praying for some glorious sunshine !
After our two sell out shows in 2009 and 2010 we are delighted to announce that we return to the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke for a BIG BAND SPECTACULAR. We are still in the early stages of planning this event but please put the date in your diary and watch out for further publicity later in the year.
Innovations Jazz Orchestra was formed in 2000 and currently consists of 25 regular musicians who enjoy playing big band, swing and jazz music. The sound of the band in full swing is something to behold - we hope you will be able to come to one of our events to listen for yourself.
Band leader Simon Ward's musical upbringing was steeped in the jazz greats - Sinatra, Basie, Ellington, Fitzgerald and the love of this golden era of music is shared amongst all the band members. Innovations Jazz Orchestra was formed to capture the very best of this genre of music whilst taking a broad minded approach to the repertoire to include not only some of the greats, but also tunes that perhaps don't get heard too often in big band music. The addition of a flute section offers a great versatility to the band's sound - at full pelt, the full sound of the woodwind is a perfect contrast to the strength of the brass whilst in the softer numbers, the flutes add a wonderful lyrical dimension to the sound.
Since it's formation, over 100 different musicians have played with IJO either as guests, stand-ins or at rehearsals. IJO welcomes musicians who would like to come and 'have a blow' with the band for an evening - keep an eye on the site for any current vacancies in IJO.
In October 2008, IJO were featured in a BBC Radio 3 broadcast celebrating music making across the country. Play To The Nation, presented by Petroc Trelawny featured bands, choirs and orchestras from across Great Britain. Our performance of 'When You're Smiling' recorded by bassist John Feaver at the Save the Children concert earlier this year was played and our band leader Simon Ward interviewed. The track features a tenor sax solo by Tim 'Toots' Leonard who got a mention but the whole band were delighted to have been chosen and the track sounded especially good on the 'wireless'!
We currently have no regular vacancies in the band but if you are a good standard and want to find out more about the band then please contact our Musical Director, Simon Ward, on 07932 673579
IJO is available for hire, either as a full orchestra, or in smaller combinations, ranging from a jazz-trio to a jazz-sextet.
Click here for details about hiring the orchestra.
We put on a number of regular concert performances each year. Click here for further details of our future concerts and to see our "Performance Archive"
If you can't wait for our next performance, Click Here to hear some clips from the band recorded "live" at one of our events.
The orchestra is a full member of Making Music and enjoys many benefits from this worthy organisation, such as £5 million of public liability insurance through their block insurance scheme.
In October 2008, IJO were featured in a BBC Radio 3 broadcast celebrating music making across the country. Play To The Nation, presented by Petroc Trelawny featured bands, choirs and orchestras from across Great Britain. Our performance of 'When You're Smiling' recorded by bassist John Feaver at the Save the Children concert earlier this year was played and our band leader Simon Ward interviewed. The track features a tenor sax solo by Tim 'Toots' Leonard who got a mention but the whole band were delighted to have been chosen and the track sounded especially good on the 'wireless'! 
