Magic City Jazz Orchestra Lawler, trombonist Charlie Ard, saxophonist Neil McLean, arranger Steve Sample, Sr and pianist Ray Reach. SuperJazz has spawned a number of spin-off groups, such as the Night Flight Big Band and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra. In 1998, Ray Reach, then director of the UAB Jazz Ensemble and founding director of the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, contacted New York saxophonist Lou Marini in order to hire him to be guest artist and clinician for the annual "Weekend of Jazz" festival at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Mr. Marini subsequently came to Birmingham, where he conducted jazz workshops and
Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival The Isle of Wight Jazz Festival ran from 2005 to 2008, in the small seaside town of Ventnor. Since the start of the festival it hosted a range of artists including Terry Callier, Cleo Laine, Maceo Parker, John Dankworth, Dennis Rollins. Humphrey Lyttelton and Ian Shaw. The 2009 Festival was cancelled and no festival has been held since. For 2009 some venues refused to accept bookings from the organisers until musicians and suppliers from previous years confirmed they have been paid. The organisers announced that after a new director was taken on, the financial