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History The BBC Big Band
The BBC Big Band, sometimes called the BBC Radio Big Band, are a British band run under the auspices of the BBC. It consists of professional musicians directed by Barry Forgie who has been conducting them on a regular basis since 1977 and Jiggs Whigham, who has been associated with the band for over twenty years.
The BBC Big Band is probably best known for its regular Monday night show, Big Band Special on BBC Radio 2, but also reaches worldwide audiences through the BBC World Service, satellite radio and the Internet [1]. It has been voted the best Big Band in the British Jazz Awards in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2007.
The band has played with stars such as Van Morrison, Michael Buble, Tony Bennett, George Shearing, Michel Legrand, Cleo Laine, Lalo Schifrin, Dr. John and Ray Charles. The band regularly features on the UK festival circuit, and concert tours with major artists have taken the band all over the world in addition to its regular concert recordings throughout the UK for Radio 2.
The BBC Big Band is an Associate Ensemble at Town Hall Birmingham.
The band's members currently comprise:
Trumpets: Derek Watkins, Nigel Carter, Martin Shaw, Brian Rankine,
Trombones: Gordon Campbell, Andy Wood, Ashley Horton, John Higinbotham
Saxophones: Howard McGill, Sammy Mayne, Martin Williams, Jay Craig
Piano: Jim Watson, Guitar: Phil Robson, Bass: Jeremy Brown, Drums: Tom Gordon, Percussion: Anthony Kerr
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