The Imperial College Big Band
The Imperial College Big Band Play The Lunchtime Session
Entry Requirements: Under 16s are not permitted in the venue. Under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
The IC Big Band is the official big band of Imperial College London, featuring a line-up of Scientists, Medics, and Engineers with a passion for big band music who regularly perform top-quality jazz in and around the capital. Led by Chris Dean—current director of the esteemed Syd Lawrence Orchestra and a musician who has recorded with legends such as Frank Sinatra and Quincy Jones—the band brings a polished, vibrant sound to every performance.
The band’s sets cover everything from classic big band swing to fully-fledged Latin jazz numbers and contemporary fusion, featuring singers as well as showcasing some arrangements by band members. With an ever-expanding library of hundreds of charts, the IC Big Band offers one of the finest big band sounds any university has to offer.
The IC Big Band enjoys regular performances to a wide range of audiences, including sold-out shows at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, and Hammersmith’s Jazz Café POSK. In recent years, the band’s reputation has grown internationally, with performances at prestigious events like the Montreux International Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival, as well as hit gigs at renowned venues such as the Kunstfabrik Schlot jazz club in Berlin and the MOE Club in Madrid.