Who are ‘the 22’
A new large-scale jazz experience for modern audiences
‘the 22’ Jazz Orchestra is a unique 22-piece contemporary jazz orchestra, blending iconic repertoire, original compositions and theatrical choreography.
Created and led by award-winning composer and arranger David Mellor, ‘the 22’ brings together world-class musicians to reimagine jazz at scale.
Designed for theatres, concert halls, festivals and international touring, this is jazz with presence, ambition and broad appeal.
Scale & Sound
A rare 22-piece ensemble combining strings, brass, rhythm and soloists to deliver depth and musical sophistication rarely heard in contemporary jazz performance.
Iconic Repertoire Reimagined
Music by Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, John Barry, Aretha Franklin, Cole Porter, Miles Davis and more, alongside original compositions by David Mellor, orchestrated exclusively for ‘the 22’.
An Elevated Live Experience
Performances incorporate imaginative staging, choreography and visual storytelling to create an emotionally rich and memorable audience experience.
Proven Artistic Leadership
Led by David Mellor, winner of Best UK Songwriter, whose career spans international orchestras and collaborations with globally recognised artists and producers.
Designed to Tour
A scalable, professional production developed with touring, festivals, broadcast and international markets in mind.
The Creator
David Mellor
David Mellor is an award-winning composer, talented pianist, arranger and conductor, with decades of experience across theatre, orchestral performance and commercial music.
David’s vision for ‘the 22’ is the culmination of years of composition, orchestration and ensemble development, creating a contemporary jazz orchestra built for today’s audiences.
The Orchestra
‘the 22’
‘the 22’ grew from a long-established septet into a full 22-piece ensemble, carefully curated for musical excellence, versatility and chemistry.
Featuring leading European musicians across strings, brass, woodwind, rhythm and solo instruments, together, they form a powerful, expressive and highly disciplined ensemble capable of delivering both intimacy and scale.
The Music
Unique performance
The music of ‘the 22’ is crafted to appeal both to dedicated jazz audiences and those discovering the genre for the first time.
Each performance is carefully curated to balance musical sophistication with accessibility, ensuring strong audience engagement across diverse venues.
Introducing the Orchestra
‘the 22’ grew from a long-established septet into a full 22-piece ensemble, carefully curated for musical excellence, versatility and chemistry.
Featuring leading UK & European musicians across strings, brass, woodwind, rhythm and solo instruments, together, they form a powerful, expressive and highly disciplined ensemble capable of delivering both intimacy and scale.
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