reviews

Messages, Reviews and Quotes from the 2008 IAJE Convention in Toronto

"I heard your band in Toronto and they really sounded great. Outstanding soloists all around.
Jamey Aebersold
www.aebersold.com

"Congratulations on a fantastic IAJE concert in Toronto. Marvelous talent and obvious superb leadership."
Larry Green
JAZZ.FM91 91.1 in Toronto, ON, Canada

"TSYJO smashed it!!! I think that they had the best performance and piece of the night"
Adrian Moody

"You guys really lifted the roof off!"
Chris Greive

"It's an honor to have both your youth band playing my music."
Fred Sturm
Jazz Composer www.fredsturm.com

"What an amazing ensemble of kids you have!"
Josh
WGBO Radiog

"Absolutely fantastic playing all round, particularly from the sax and rhythm sections, this was a brilliant showing from young jazz Scotland and testament to old-hand Smith's commitment to the scene he helped to reignite in the 1980s."
Glasgow Herald

Hi Tommy,

It was nice to meet you in Toronto last week, I trust you had a pleasant flight home.

Just wanted to drop you a note first to say Hi and second to let you know that Exploration will be reviewed in theJazz Jury tomorrow from 1pm. We recorded it earlier today, so I have attached the audio of the review it got and also I can let you know it scored very well with 22.5 points out of 30.
As I say it is on tomorrow from 1pm on theJazz, and after the show it is available on our listen again feature at www.thejazz.com.

The presenter credits Shell as well so might be handy for encouraging them to part with some more money in the future.

Best Regards

Chris Suckling
Producer the Jazz  ...come into the cool*
London, January 2008

Dear Tommy,

Thank you for the outstanding performance delivered by the TSYJO in Toronto. We were all very proud of you and your Youth Jazz Orchestra at the UK Showcase in Toronto. Personally, I found it very emotional, and yes I admit to shedding a tear or two, especially during the 2 standing ovations from the huge crowd. Indeed, the /only/ standing ovations for /any/ of the bands performing. The orchestra were well rehearsed, showed outstanding improvising skills, exuded confidence and were obviously enjoying themselves. In addition, the programme of music was challenging, inspiring and fully engaged the audience. I'm very happy to report that, the day after the concert, the Scottish end of the UK Exhibition stand was extremely busy and there was a big demand for information on the TSYJO and you. It was great that you were there in person to talk to many of them. It seems the TSYJO stole the show! The director of the Vermont Jazz Summer School was especially keen to talk to you. He said he'd /never/ witnessed a Youth band where the improvisation skills of it's members were so high and wanted to talk to you about teaching on /his/ course. I will forward his details to you in the next few days.closing, I'd like to say that it is testament to /your /skills, as an educator and band leader, that the TSYJO delivered such a confident, musical performance. You are very modest and many people commented on the fact that you take absolutely none of the limelight away from the young performers on stage. You simply let them shine.

The SNJO and the TSYJO deserve to be funded year round. I would not be surprised if offers start pouring in for your services outwith Scotland Tommy. Hopefully the powers that be will have the foresight to fund what you're doing year round and keep you and your skills here in Scotland!

Best wishes

Cathie Rae
Managing Director Thick-Skinned Productions Ltd
www.thick-skinned.com

Hi Tommy,

Just thought I'd drop you an email to say thanks for such a fantastic experience in Toronto. I really appreciate you making it possible for me to do it. I know everyone feels the same way, we all really  enjoyed it. Heard there were nightmare delays on the way back, hope it wasn't too  horrendous.

Thanks also for those Finale chords, I will definitely use it more often now that I can access decent chord symbols.

Hope the gig in February goes well. I think everyone will be fired up for a good one, after Toronto. I do really want to keep playing with TSYJO, if it's OK to have me for gigs when I can manage a quick nip back (and ones when I'm home anyway) and so I'm really sorry that I can't find a way to manage for February.

Hopefully see you soon!

Cheers

Alan Benzie
Berklee College of Music, Boston

Hi Tommy

I would just like to say thanks for providing us with the opportunity in Toronto. To represent Scotland on a world stage is a real honour, and it was an inspiration to have the chance to see and learn from some of the greats. The trip has instilled in me even more optimism about a career in music. I would love the chance to travel and perform more with this group as, in spite of the fact it is a youth band, it feels like a professional outfit and therefore provides invaluable experience for the real world.

Thanks again and Best Wishes

Ben Bryden
(Lead Tenor, TSYJO)

Attending the IAJE was one of the highlights in my career so far. As a young musician, it was so overwhelming to be surrounded by so many sources of inspiration, and to get the chance to see, and talk to, so many fantastic musicians. It's also a very rare thing, to perform at a gig where the audience is a) so large! and b) entirely made up of people who truly appreciate the music. I feel I've gained a lot from the trip, and seeing the talent has pushed me to strive to be the best musician I can be. I am going to study jazz in the autumn, and this experience has confirmed to me that jazz is absolutely the right thing for me.

Kim Macari
(4th Trumpet TSYJO)

Hi Tommy

Many thanks for providing this wonderful experience for Kieran and all the others in TSYJO. They obviously had a fantastic time performing in Toronto and were privileged  to meet and hear some amazing world class artists there. Reading the comments you've received, it sounds like they stepped up to the mark themselves admirably which is, in no small measure, due to your support and guidance. These young folk are very lucky to have you as a  role model and mentor. Hearing the mp3 of A Night in Tunisia brought a lump to my throat!

Looking forward, as ever, to the next gig.

Best Regards

Emma McLeod