The joyous, physically uplifting African sounds of Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath weren’t exactly overexposed on Scottish stages in the band’s 1970s heyday and its early albums are coveted by vinyl collectors more for the rarity value of the record label, Neon, than the still fabulous content.

So big hats off to former Brotherhood trumpeter Chris Batchelor for taking the opportunity of his guest appearance with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland to introduce his former boss’s musical message to these young players and encouraging them into a free spirited, invigorating session that makes tonight’s concert at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow essential to any music lover’s well-being.

This was actually two very impressive sides of NYJOS. In the first half they gave a splendid account of the quiet man of British jazz, Kenny Wheeler’s wistful and thoughtfully ecstatic Sweet Time Suite, capturing the elegiac brass chorales, shapely contours and engaging uptempo movement that make Wheeler’s writing at once so deeply personal and highly approachable.

The occasional free-wheeling required to realise this piece, alongside discipline and control, was hugely magnified, however, when Batchelor joined them after the interval. In Brotherhood of Breath, Chris McGregor and his fellow Blue Note, saxophonist Dudu Pukwana, married African folk melody and sociability with an Ellingtonian richness and Mingus-like roguishness to create truly intoxicating jazz.

Playing in the round, NYJOS all but lifted the audience out of their seats during Pukwana’s MRA, with its brilliantly panoramic horn fanfares, and McGregor’s dancing, sunny Andromeda. If their individual improvising didn’t always match the collective effort, it didn’t matter. This was youthful enthusiasm and ability gloriously channelled.

Repeated tonight at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket.

Star rating: ****

“combines a sensuous touch with Bach-like precision” The Guardian

Malcolm Edmonstone is a jazz pianist and arranger, born in Perth, Scotland in 1980. In 1998 he moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he is now Deputy Head of Jazz Studies. Having gained Bachelors and Masters degrees, Malcolm continues to forge a career as a modern musician, working as a pianist, educator, arranger and musical director in many high profile situations.

Whilst studying at GSMD, he was called on by Laurie Holloway to cover the piano chair on an international tour with his wife, the late jazz legend Marion Montgomery. Since then Malcolm has continued to work with Laurie on various projects, including the first three series of the BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing, where he played piano and arranged a significant portion of the music. During this time Malcolm was writing prolifically and having his arrangements performed live on television to audiences upwards of 10m.

At 21, he met Jacqui Dankworth and soon became her Musical Director. Together they have toured the world and been involved in numerous recording projects, including albums Detour Ahead and Back to You. In 2009, Malcolm had the honour of working alongside the late Sir John Dankworth on an album with Jacqui. They worked together on the arrangements on what was sadly the last of many occasions in which Sir John mentored Malcolm’s development as a writer.

Malcolm works with some of the most original musicians in the UK. He is a member of Mike Walker’s Madhouse band, and has played with many of the UK’s leading jazz musicians, including Mark Lockheart, Stan Sulzmann and Iain Dixon. At the 19th meeting of the International Association of Schools of Jazz, Dave Liebman invited Malcolm to play in his only appearance during that conference.

As a session musician, Malcolm’s extensive work ranges from recording for BBC Radio 3 with conductor Lorin Maazel to playing on live television with Tony Bennett. He has recorded extensively as a sideman in the jazz and commercial music worlds. He has twice been commissioned by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland, the second of which is featured on the disc Scotland Suite. His first album as a leader, featuring Mark Lockheart and Mike Walker, will be released in 2011.

Education has always been a large part of Malcolm’s life – as well as five years as co-Director of NYJOS and the same time as a Professor at GSMD, he has held many visiting teaching positions, including stints at RAM, TCM, Middlesex University and Birmingham Conservatoire. He is often employed by ABRSM to work with classical peripatetic teachers exploring jazz music.

STELLA REHARM