As well as gracing Radio 2's Monday night listeners with its presence, the BBC Big Band reaches worldwide audiences through the BBC World Service, satellite radio and via the Internet.

The BBC Big Band has played with Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Michael Ball, Martin Taylor, Pat Kane and Helen Shapiro. It's also entertained thousands with international stars such as Tony Bennett, George Shearing, Michel Legrand, Louie Bellson, Lalo Schifrin, Ray Charles and Dr. John. Concert tours with these artists have taken the band all over the world.

The Band regularly features on the festival circuit - from Harrogate and Cheltenham to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cork and the London Jazz Festival. At the Proms the band has played with guests Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Clark Terry and Wayne Marshall. The year 2000 saw the Band in Belfast with George Benson for BBC Music Live and at the South Bank's Rhythm Sticks Festival with Billy Cobham and Ed Thigpen.

Individually, the BBC Big Band boasts a huge range of talent and experience. It's members can play almost anything at sight, from Tommy Dorsey arrangements to Stan Kenton, whilst remaining no strangers to a good drink and a good laugh.

"Thank you guys, you're wonderful" - Michel Legrand

"By far the best band to come out of England" - George Shearing

"They brilliantly continue the tradition of Big Band music. As such they are important as well as marvellous" - Michael Parkinson

"...for me, this is the band" - Mel Torme

"What a thrill working with such professionals" - Robert Palmer

"Not only are they terrific musicians, they also have a marvellous sense of humour" - Ken Bruce

"I told my wife that for my next birthday I want this band as a gift" - Lalo Schifrin

Black Dyke Band
In 1816 Peter Wharton founded a brass and reed band in the Yorkshire village of Queenshead - later to become Queensbury. John Foster, apart from being the founder of Black Dyke Mills, played French Horn in this band. It has been said on many occasions that Black Dyke was formed from it, however this is not strictly true, as "Peter Whartons band went out of existence through loss of members". In 1833 a new band was formed named 'Queenshead Band', which may well have contained players from the former band. It is reported that this Band reached its Zenith from 1838 to 1843, at which time it consisted of 18 musicians". However it is recorded in the Halifax Courier of the 15th September 1855 that: "Queenshead Band formed early in the century by residents came into difficulties. John Foster & Son, having lately become acquainted with the depressed state of the band determined to make an effort themselves to raise it up again. Accordingly they have purchased from that eminent maker, Mr. Joseph Higham, of Manchester, a new set of instruments which have this week been delivered to the band, which in future is to be denominated Black Dyke Mills Band. A new and talented leader, as well as several performers, have been added to the band which now comprises 18 musicians. Messrs. Fosters have provided for them a comfortable room in which they will meet for practicing"

Thus the Black Dyke Band was formed. Most of its musicians both lived in Queensbury and worked at the mill, so a close link between the band and the community was formed which remains to this day. The Band has always been at the forefront of Brass Band activity, making one of the earliest Brass Band recordings in 1904 and embarking on a five month tour of Canada and the United States in 1906, on which it played in over 200 concerts and travelled over 13,000 miles. Since then the band has toured many different countries, including Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Belgium, Sierra Leone, and Spain, returning to Canada in 1972. In 1988 the Band took part in the Bi-centennial Celebrations in Australia, they also had a sell-out tour in Japan. 

The Band has made over 80 recordings, with former Prime Minister Edward Heath as guest conductor on one, whilst Paul McCartney and Wings broke new ground with the Band with another. In 1996 they won The Music Industries Association Award for the Best CD in the Orchestral category, with their recording of Sir William Walton's Music, featuring the Shakespearean actor Robert Portal.  In February 1999 the album that the Band recorded with Evelyn Glennie was nominated in the 'Crossover Classical Section' for a 'Grammy Award' in Los Angeles, this was followed in March 1999 with an Oscar nomination for the best song in a film, "That'll Do" from the film "Babe 2" the vocalist was Peter Gabriel with backing by Black Dyke. The Band has enjoyed success with other recording artists including 'Torry Amos' and the well-known group 'Beautiful South'. Decades earlier they were chosen to appear on the Beatles hit record 'Yellow Submarine' .  Black Dyke Band also provide the background music written by Jim Parker for the popular UK Television series of programmes 'Ground Force' and in co-operation with BBC Worldwide have released their CD 'Ground Force' featuring the music from the series. 

In addition to touring and recording, the musical life of the band has included television shows, films, broadcasts, concerts at Music Festivals, Universities, The Proms, Fanfare into Europe, Songs of Praise, covering the whole musical spectrum, appearing with Lesley Garrett, Elton John, Evelyn Glennie, James Morrison, Rod Franks, Ian Bousfield, Phil Smith and many more.  Equally many famous and well known names have conducted the Band, including the legendary Alexander Owen, John Gladney, Arthur O. Pearce, Harry Mortimer, Alex Mortimer , Major George Wilcocks, Major Peter Parkes and James Watson.

In October 1993 Black Dyke Band made an historic appearance as the first British Brass Band to perform at the Carnegie Hall, New York. They have subsequently appeared as guests of the LSO Brass ensemble at the Barbican, performed composer masterclass sessions for The Society of Promotion for New Music and have appeared before Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

In recognition of its continued success, services to music in general and the region in particular, the Band, was awarded the Honorary Freedom of the City by the City of Bradford in 1976.

The Band are proud to be appointed the first ever 'Band in Residence' at the Royal Northern College of Music, many exciting projects are planned to further brass activities at the College, major concerts featuring soloists from the RNCM, open rehearsals will be held which students will be encouraged to attend, new compositions and Gala Concerts.  In October 2000 Lady Walton MBE very kindly accepted the invitation of the Band to become its first Honorary Patron, reflecting the Band's appreciation of successful and continued ventures with Lady Walton and the Walton Trust.

At the National Championship contest in October 2001 Black Dyke Band became National Champions for the seventeenth time since 1947. The band logo of the stags head and Latin quotation are taken from the armorial bearings granted in 1857 to John Foster, founder of the band. The quotation translates to; "ACT JUSTLY AND FEAR NOTHING"

London Brass
When the late Philip Jones retired from trumpet playing in 1985, he took the name of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble with him. The remaining members of his ensemble – both the quintet and the larger ten pieces group – re-formed under the name of London Brass. Mostly active in the larger formation now, London Brass is one of the world’s best known brass ensembles. They tour and give master-classes regularly and have made fifteen CDs. Their repertoire embraces the old as well as the new and their pioneering of original music and new modes of presentation keeps them at the fore-front of modern day brass ensemble performance. The commissioning of new music and promotion of educational work are high priorities for them and they are Ensemble in Residence at the Royal College of Music in London.

The members of the ensemble are ten of the best-known brass instrumentalists in London. They lead busy individual careers as soloists, orchestral, jazz and chamber musicians, and many are professors at London’s leading conservatoires. Amongst their number are principal players from the English Chamber Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta and the London Philharmonic Orchestra as well as soloists from some of London’s best-known jazz orchestras. They spend two to three months of each year touring, recording and enjoying one another’s company.