# West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra

The West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) is an Australian youth jazz orchestra based in Perth, Western Australia. WAYJO has 54 jazz musicians between 14 and 25 years of age and currently presents over 55 performances a year across Australia.

## History

The West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra was founded in 1983. The original band was formed from secondary school students from the music specialist schools, young local musicians and some of the original students of the inaugural Jazz Studies course at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. By the early 1990s WAYJO had grown to two bands and by the late 1990s three bands were in operation each with its own music director. The three bands are the Composers Ensemble, the Big Band and the Swing Band. Each band works on specific repertoire which builds on the existing skill levels of the musicians.
Since 2008 the artistic director is Mace Francis who is also musical director for their Wednesday Night Orchestra.

## Albums
### Night and Day

Recorded October 1996 at the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music.

### Tom Terrific

All tracks composed and arranged by WAYJO members at the time.

### Road to Red Hill

Featuring a collection of traditional jazz standards as well as original compositions, WAYJO's Road to Red Hill CD is the first official recording to include all the highly accomplished WAYJO bands, including the Composers Ensemble, Big Band and Swing Band.

### Get Happy

This double CD released on 14 May 2013 features the 2011 and 2012 WAYJO Composers Ensemble. The first CD was recorded during the 2012 Sydney tour at the James Morrison Studios. The music featured comes from Ed Partyka, Franck Tortiller and Jim McNeely. The second CD is a live to air broadcast recorded at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in 2011. It featured the piano playing and compositions of Jim McNeely.

### Best of 2017

Released 1 November 2017.

### Best of 2018

Released 1 December 2018.

## Bands
### Wednesday Night Orchestra

The Wednesday Night Orchestra (WNO) is WAYJO's premiere ensemble, playing a variety of big band styles from the swing era to contemporary jazz. The focus is on presenting modern Australian composers including a program to promote local Western Australian emerging composers. The music director for WNO is Mace Francis.

### Tuesday Night Orchestra

The St John of God Tuesday Night Orchestra (TNO) presents big band music in the style of the 1950s and 60s – Big brass sounds with a swingin' feeling. Count Basie and Duke Ellington classics are performed along with music from Thad Jones, Bill Holman, Gordon Goodwin and Bob Mintzer. The music director for TNO is Marty Pervan.

### Monday Night Orchestra

The MinterEllsion Monday Night Orchestra takes its repertoire from Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Sy Oliver, Fletcher Henderson and Tommy Dorsey. The music director for MNO is Ricki Malet.

## Graduates and alumni

* Linda May Han Oh (double bass)
* Jamie Oehlers (saxophone)
* Libby Hammer (voice)
* Graham Wood (Piano)
* Carl Mackey (Saxophone)
* Troy Roberts (saxophone)
* Daniel Susnjar (drums)
* Graeme Blevins (saxophone)
* Mat Jodrell (trumpet)
* Sarah McKenzie (piano)
* Jordan Murray (trombone)
* Catherine Noblet (trombone)
* Andrew Murray (trombone)
* Mace Francis (composer)
* Vanessa Perica (composer)
* Dane Alderson (electric bass)

## Featured Composers
### Australian

* Graeme Lyall
* James Morrison
* Julian Lee
* Mace Francis
* Daryl McKenzie
* Grant Windsor
* Michael Wallace
* Daniel Thorne
* Tilman Robinson
* Alice Humphries
* Jenna Cave
* Rafael Karlen

### International

* Bob Brookmeyer
* Ed Partyka
* Maria Schneider