Paul Jones - Composer in Residence

Pianist and composer Paul Jones has been awarded a prestigious commission to write an extended work for the Wales Jazz Composers Orchestra, and to be its composer in residence.

The group features artists such as Huw Warren, Paula Gardiner and Lee Goodall, and was conceived to be a platform for new writing.

The piece, entitled "In Syllables", will be premiered at the HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival, and is the first large-scale work commissioned for the WJCO.

The commission stems from the success and musical exploration found in Paul's work with Cardiff-based jazz quartet the Jones O'Connor Group, who have been gathering critical plaudits and the admiration of fellow musicians nationwide.

Paul says the band adheres to the concept of working collectively and organically, casting aside the idea of a leader, adding that this holistic sensibility is central to his vision of working for a big band.

"The piece, In Syllables, utilises a number of structures not readily associated with jazz, including, at one point, a fugue," says Paul.

"For the WJCO, I wanted to use these styles to combine formal composition with improvisation and to emphasise the way in which jazz is all about group interaction within a given framework."

The commission is jointly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and Performing Rights Society Foundation.

For more information, see www.jonesoconnorgroup.co.uk