(UPDATE MAR 8th: RESULTS ANNOUNCED)

The key points are above in our title. All good news, we’d say: The BBC’s inaugural Young Jazz Musician Competition (FINALISTS HERE ) has been properly thought through, it will be televised – scheduled transmission date May 23rd, time TBC on BBC4 – and is being generally taken seriously. BBC Producer/ competition manager Kerry Clark has explained the background in a SUBSTANTIAL piece for the BBC website, which has just been published.

A key paragraph from her piece reads like this :

“The Jazz Final takes place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff on Saturday 8th March and is due to be broadcast on BBC Four at the end of May. The event will be presented by Soweto Kinch, the award-winning saxophonist and rapper. The finalists will all perform with the Gwilym Simcock Trio, who will work with and mentor them as they prepare for the final. The classical finalists are always most excited about the chance to work with a top orchestra and conductor and we wanted to come up with an equivalent experience for the jazz competitors – Gwilym is definitely that.”