Speaking on the Success, Jack commented:

Yesterday I was fortunate to be able to attend the BBE Brass Band conference, with my BBCA, AoBBA, and Derwent Brass hats on.

It was a wonderful opportunity to talk with like-minded musicians who are so passionate about the brass band medium, and engaged in the discussion on how we not only secure, but strengthen, it for the future.

A particularly special shoutout to keynote speaker Ian Bousfield who wasn't afraid to step out and comment on the repertoire within brass bands, I agree with his comments, and hope that with the bands I work with, we can try and be the change we would like to see.

With this, I couldn't be prouder of Derwent Brass who won the BBE innovation award. This is a band who continually go above and beyond in trying to push the boundaries of the medium, having only just completed their trilogy of 30th-anniversary gigs, with the finale a complete performance of Holst's Planet Suite.

The award is, in my mind, thoroughly deserved, and you should all watch this space for what comes next...!

Above is our performance of my 'Musica De Los Muertos' from Bolsover 2021, quoted in the nomination, mentioned in the nomination.

Following the conference, I travelled to Chester-Le-Street to take The Reg Vardy Band in concert. It's my second concert with the band this year, and I'm always impressed by the band's technical ability, musicality, and commitment to performance.

They're such a warm and welcoming band, a real pleasure to work with - so thanks for having me!