“We are an ORCHESTRA, not a band of sections; an organized orchestra of interested and interesting musicians who play a music of many dimensions and feelings. Our music is ambitious. That explains why our instrumentation is not exactly standard. We are a jazz orchestra, but this does not mean that other musical forms and rhythms cannot be incorporated into our music. After all, music is expressed in many languages. We should be aware and learn from them all.”

Johnny Richards

So much more than just a “big band,” the IJO includes a full range of ensembles including:

The classic New Orleans 1920s instrumentation of one or two cornets, clarinet, trombone, piano, banjo/guitar, bass, drums.

Similar to the Hot Jazz Combo but with the addition of strings and non-saxophone woodwinds such as flute.

The repertory orchestra is known to many people as a “big band.” We tend to avoid using that term simply because the IJO's jazz repertory orchestra does not play the repertoire of jazz standards and dance music that most big bands do. We tend to seek out music of a more symphonic nature including works that have a historical or musical significance and pieces that challenge both the musicians and the audiences. The size of this ensemble may vary from ten to eighteen members and consists of a three or four piece rhythm section (piano, bass, drums and possibly guitar or banjo) and sections of trumpets, trombones (anywhere from one to three tenor and sometimes one bass trombone) and saxophones (usually two alto, two tenor one baritone for music from the 1930s an onwards, or as few as two alto and one tenor for earlier music). The saxophones are often referred to generically as “reeds” because they will often double on clarinet and occasionally on bass clarinet and flute (even though a flute is not a reed instrument!) One of the trumpets may occasionally double on flugelhorn. This ensemble may or may not require a conductor - it depends entirely on the music being performed.

The neophonic orchestra is essentially an expanded jazz repertory orchestra. The format is based somewhat on Claude Thornhill's band - he was the first to use instruments such as French horn in a jazz ensemble. However Stan Kenton also employed a neophonic ensemble and was the first to apply the neophonic label to a jazz ensemble. The instrumentation consists of a four-piece rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass and drums), four or five trumpets, four trombones, five or six saxophones, two or sometimes four French horns, tuba and latin and symphonic (e.g. timpani) percussion. Not surprisingly there is extensive doubling in the saxophones with clarinet, bass clarinet, piccolo, flute and alto flute and sometimes also soprano and bass saxophones. One or two double reeds may also be present (oboe, bassoon). Some trumpets double on flugelhorn, cornet and piccolo trumpet. Trombones double on euphonium. The reeds are supplemented with a single violin and occasionally there may be a small string section. The total number of musicians is approximately twenty-five to thirty and there is always a conductor. The power and range of this ensemble can be amazing.

The symphonic orchestra combines the neophonic orchestra with a chamber-sized classical orchestra. Therefore in addition to all of the neophonic instrumentation, this ensemble adds a full section of between 22 - 30 strings (violins, violas, cellos, basses), double reeds (oboes/English horn, bassoons) and occasionally harp. The total number of musicians is approximately fifty and there is always a conductor. All of the flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet work is handled by the saxophone players. The pianist may also double on organ or celeste. This ensemble can play a vast repertoire of jazz, classical or neoclassical music.

On occasion, the musicians of the IJO may form smaller groups ("bands within a band."). The Duke Ellington orchestra did this on many occasions. Some of the possibilites:

Small combos may range in size from an trio to an octet. The typical instrumentation consists of a three or four piece rhythm section (piano, bass or tuba, drums and possibly guitar or banjo) and one or more horns (trumpet, trombone, saxophones or clarinet). For example in Suite Freedom, a trio, quartet, quintet, sextet and septet were each used to present the civil rights-inspired music of composers such as Charles Mingus.

This ensemble uses the famous Birth of the Cool instrumentation - six horns comprised of treble and bass pairs of brass (trumpet and trombone), reeds (alto and baritone saxophones) and conical brass (French horn and tuba), supported by a three-piece rhythm section. This instrumentation was according to Gil Evans “the smallest number of instruments that could get the sound and still express all the harmonies that [Claude] Thornhill had used.” Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Johnny Carisi, John Lewis and George Russell talked of an arranger's “dream band” that would have the palette of Thornhill's band but would be more agile and more flexible. At the time (the late 1940s), big bands were on the way out and Miles considered Thornhill's band to be unnecessarily large. He said, “Gil can use four instruments where other arrangers need eight.” As the Thornhill band had eighteen members, it is not surprising that they settled on a group with exactly half that number Evans had actually been thinking along these lines previously. He had sketched some pieces for an eleven-piece group. At one point the proposed band had an additional trumpet, an idea later abandoned due to the difficulty of blending the second instrument with Miles' unique, individual sound.

Note: The above description of the Birth of the Cool nonet was taken from the programme notes for The Magic of Miles Davis. To read more about the great nonet and other stories of jazz history, check the library for PDF versions of programme notes from past IJO concerts.

The classic sound from Duke Ellington's “Spacemen” album featuring flugelhorn, tenor saxophone and clarinet along with a trio of trombones and a three-piece rhythm section. A very interesting combination that often sounds like a full band.