The New Jazz Orchestra

The New Jazz Orchestra was a British jazz big band active from 1963 to 1970. Originating from a popular weekend jazz club, Jazzhouse, at the Green Man in Blackheath, the group initially featured members of the Ian Bird Quintet and other London-based musicians. The band's personnel varied over time but included prominent musicians such as Harry Beckett, Jack Bruce, Ian Carr, Michael Gibbs, Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, and others. The ensemble debuted as the Bird/Burrows Big Band in 1963 and later became known as the New Jazz Orchestra (NJO). Under the leadership of Neil Ardley from 1964 onwards, the NJO released several notable albums including Western Reunion London 1965 (1965), Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe (1969), and Camden '70 (2008). Ardley’s leadership brought a distinctive arranging style influenced by Gil Evans. In 1993, the original lineup reunited for a celebratory 30th-anniversary gig at London's Barbican Centre.

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