Originally convened for an Electric Picnic performance, DCJO has evolved from a weekly convivial session when Dublin's finest jazz musicians were on a night off into the most impressive big band here since the genre's halcyon days of the 50s. The ever engaging Ciaran Wilde leads the band's thirteen horns and four man rhythm section through Ellington, Basie and other big band evergreens plus its own charts commissioned from exceptional Irish writers and arrangers like Brian Byrne. It's a luxurious setting for any singer, and some of our finest feature for this celebration of the big band with chanteuse Mary Coughlan, and BBC award winner Christine Tobin.

Then called the Dublin City Big Band, the group was formed by Ciaran Wilde and Raymond Martin to showcase to children in the Ballymun Wind project the full experience of a Big Band sound to inspire their own musical projects. After this, they went on to play the Electric Picnic 2008 at the IMC World Music Stage, the reaction for which has spurred this residency into being, which is good news for Dubliners who want to have a great time dancing whilst appreciating fine musicianship.

The orchestra features 5 saxes, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, Piano, bass, drums and guitar all from professional full-time musicians who represent some of the finest in Europe including the likes of Sketches of Now guitarist Hugh Buckley, leader of his piano trio, Phil Ware and Nick Roth, band leader of Klezmer group Yurodny. All musicians are prominent in both Irish and international scenes.

As individual session musicians members have performed and recorded with the likes of U2, Oasis, Van Morrison, The Symphony and Concert Orchestra, Movie soundtracks and top visiting artists like Dave Liebman, John Faddis, and Bobby Watson.