JOHN RUDDICK

Famed as the Musical Director MYJO, far and away one of the best Big Bands in the country, John Ruddick is also a highly talented trumpet player in his own right.

He plays regularly in Fat Chops and Garry Allcock’s All Stars, but his CV includes some really big names inclding Peggy Lee, The Supremes, The BBC Big Band...

...the list is endless, so we just put down what he sent us as a list below:

• Musical Director of the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, eleven times winners in the BBC National Big Band Competition, and unbeaten in the Competition for twenty years. Wife, Nichola, has made an immense contribution to the success of the MYJO organisation as a whole. In 2004 it opened the IAJE Conference in Toronto, and was introduced as one of the finest young jazz orchestras in the world.
• Received award for “Outstanding Service to Jazz Education” in Miami in 1991, and again in Toronto in 2004. Received “Outstanding Musician” award in 1996 BBC Competition, and again in 2004. Winner of Marty Paich Arranging Award 1993
• Awarded Honorary Doctor of Music degree in 2006 by Birmingham University
• Performs as free-lance trumpet-player. Was a member of the late Don Lusher’s Big Band, and is a member of the Fat Chops Big Band and All-Stars Big Band.
• Has his own jazz quintet, and has produced a CD “My Favourite Girl”
• Has performed for or with;
• BBC Radio and TV
• Independent TV
• BBC Big Band
• Syd Lawrence Orchestra
• BBC Symphony Orchestra
• Shirley Bassey Orchestra
• Stanley Black Orchestra
• Touring Shows (Fame, Fiddler On The Roof etc)
• James Morrisson, Bruce Adams, Alan Barnes, Jon Faddis, Tom Scott,
• Benny Golson, Monty Alexander.
• Peggie Lee, Frankie Laine, Three Degrees, Supremes, Bruce Forsyth etc
• Carries out jazz workshops throughout the country, either with big or small band at schools, colleges, community centres.
• In addition to MYJO, also runs two big bands for City of Birmingham Music Dept. and Martineau Big Band for adult jazz beginners.
• Son John runs Fat Chops Big Band. Daughter Jo is freelance jazz piano player and teacher– also a member of Fat Chops.