Glorious Assembly Jazz Orchestra: Glorious Assembly

The Glorious Assembly Jazz Orchestra is the creation of Emmy Award-winning film composer David Mitcham . After a career writing music for the screen, often with jazz undertones, Mitcham has chosen to expand his ambitions by directing a full-on extended big band playing new compositions on Glorious Assembly. The 20- piece group features some of the UK's top players, with additional specialists on flute, E-flat clarinet, bass and contrabass clarinet, and tuba. The palette is further expanded by performers doubling on various ukuleles, piccolo, alto flutes and echo harmonicas (with two reeds for each set of notes giving an echo effect).

The album, recorded in one day at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios, sets out Mitcham's stall with eight varied tracks showing a range of sound and style. His background in composing comes to the fore immediately; the tunes develop musically with momentum and grace, as if sliding down a spiraling banister with new ideas waiting on every floor. The soloists are given just enough space within each number, time to state their case with purpose and then depart as a new focus appears.

Mitcham clearly has an ear for an evocative melody, as demonstrated by the opening "The Autumn of Our Days." Andy Wood 's gorgeous thematic statement on trombone leads first to a lyrical tenor solo by Mark Lockheart. The feel builds into a well-honed electric guitar solo by John Parricelli  and further into Tom Rees-Roberts's full-on trumpet take. The track subsides—but whoever's autumnal days we are talking about, there is clearly life remaining.

"335," named for the iconic Gibson model, opens with a riff from Parricelli (playing the selfsame guitar) alongside Loz Garrett's double bass. Gareth Williams takes a turn on piano before sax-swapping and fiery brass take over. Gareth Lockrane 's flute provides the icing on a particularly tasty cake.

"Tom Wallager" recalls a John Steinbeck passage from his 1954 novel Sweet Thursday, where the characters decide to have "a Tom Wallager of a party"; wild carousing ensues. It is never made clear who Tom Wallager is, but he is effectively brought to life by this rapid-fire sax/brass interplay led by high E-flat clarinet lines. Phil Meadows  seizes the moment on alto sax before Lockrane's flute appears to call a temporary relaxation. The pace picks up again with Claire McInerney having the last hurrah on baritone sax.

Every track has treasures to offer. "Gold in the Depths" opens with a wistful piano/arco bass theme with a Latin lilt before a welcome extended flute solo from Lockrane and a fluid trumpet solo from Laura Jurd. "Bop Canon" (strictly more canon than bop, it should be said) is a six-part canon driven by the energetic drums of Ian Thomas, aka 'Ianto.'

There is a great deal of smart writing here, reminding me somewhat of Mike Westbrook's large-scale works in its exuberance and rich instrumentation. The group performed in concert at the album launch, and I hope more outings will be possible. The appearance of a new voice in large-group jazz is a welcome addition to 2026.