STUDENT musicians from Oxford University are tuning up to play alongside a leading jazz trombonist tomorrow.

Oxford University Big Band will take to the stage with guest soloist Mark Nightingale, at St John’s College.

Together they will play some of his favourite arrangements, as well as music by the university band’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra member and Balliol College student Callum Au.

The concert is an annual event where band members play with a guest artist, usually one of the country’s top jazz musicians.

Last year, they were joined by BBC Big Band tenor saxophonist Dave O’Higgins.

Pianist Oliver Montague, an engineering student at St John’s, said there was a lot of excitement about the performance.

He said: “We often make a loss on this concert but we do it to enhance the Big Band and bring in big names that people wouldn’t normally get to see in Oxford and for the prestige for the band as well.

“It not only gives us interesting music to play, but it’s good for the musicians to work with a really big name in jazz.”

The band’s reputation has grown in recent years and as well as a regular round of university balls and functions, it performs abroad every year, with previous events including Princess Anne’s birthday celebrations in Mumbai, India, in 2006, and a set during the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Music Expo last year. They also visited the Great Wall of China, above, during their trip to the Far East.

Founded in 1961 by Bill Ashton and Peter Hartley, the former of whom went on to found the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the big band was re-formed in 2005 after a long break.

Tickets cost £10 and £5 for concessions.

The performance, at St John’s College Auditorium, in St Giles, begins at 8pm. Email oubb@oums.org to reserve tickets.