Jim Dvorak

trumpet

Born in Brooklyn Jim played trumpet since his teens and graduated from the prestigious Eastman School of Music of New York with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1970. Shortly after that he moved to London England where he has been based ever since. He established himself on the UK jazz scene playing in pianist Keith Tippett's band. He joined Chris MacGregor's ensemble Brotherhood of Breath, touring Europe several times between 1970 and 1975. In 1973, he formed Joy with drummer Keith Bailey. 1975-76 with drummer Louis Moholo's band. 1977 and 1979, he led Sun Sum, a seventeen piece jazz/dance extravaganza which included Elton Dean, Alan Skidmore, Keith Tippett, Harry Miller and Nick Evans. 1980 - 1982 with Dhyana. He worked with John Stevens as part of the Search and Reflect training programme at the Community Music organisation in 1983. He worked for six years as a workshop leader in Summer Schools at the Ingolstadt Jazz Stage (Germany), the Vercelli Jazz School (Italy), and the American School in Paris (France). Other bands Jim worked with on the European jazz circuit during the 80's include Lol Coxhill (Before Our Time), Geoff Serle (Research), Dudu Pukuwana (Zila), Maggie Nichols (Very Varied), Nick Evans (Dreamtime), Ruthie Smith (Toot Sweet), Brian Abrahams (District Six) and again Keith Tippett in 1985-86. He ran Club Extremor (London, 1982-1987) for improvised music. in 1990 he joined Phil Miller's In Cahoots, playing on the albums Live In Japan 1991 (1993), Recent Discoveries (1994) and Parallel (1996) and Out Of The Blue (2001). Jim has arranged music Reebop Kwaku Baah, Harry Moscoe, Guest Stars, Stan Sojoka, Annabel Lamb, District Six Big Band, and for the Dedication Orchestra. In 1979, he wrote the score for a jazz drama based on George Orwell's "Animal Farm", and in 1983 co-wrote the score for London's Kosh Dance Theatre Company production "For The Jago". He worked with Patricia Bardi for three years in the 'Green Candle Company', and has done improvised performances with the London-Based dancers Janice Galloway, Wendy Thomas, and Thomas Kemp. Jim has presented jazz workshops all over England, Germany, Italy, and Holland, has led improvising sessions at London's Royal Academy, the Guild Hall School of Music, Jazz Days International, and is currently involved in London's Community Music "Search and Reflect" workshop program. He has also established workshop sessions at Islington Arts Factory and Jazz Days International. Currently Jim is teaching at Weymouth College, The Royal Academy of Music, and the Guildhall, as well as currently presenting "thematic" workshops : Spirit Music (with Tibetan Monks), and Word Music (with Poetry), at the Union Chapel, London. Jim currently plays in Elton Dean's ensemble Newsense and in the Bardo State Orchestra, a collaboration of three well-known jazz musicians (Jim, Marcio Mattos and Ken Hyder) with a couple of Tibetan monks playing local instruments. He also plays in Phil Miller's In Cahoots.

Past Bands : Keith Tippett Group, Chris MacGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Joy, Sun Sum, Dhyana, Brian Abrahams' District Six, Nick Evans' Dreamtime, Maggie Nichols' Very Varied, Geoff Serle's Research, Dudu Pukwana's Zila, Ruthie Smith's Toot Sweet

Current Bands : In Cahoots, Elton Dean's Newsense, Ingoma, Bardo State Orchestra, Word Music.

This information was taken from Aymeric Leroy's excellent website Calyx.