b. Robert Lamb, 11 February 1931, Cork, Eire. During his musical education Lamb played wind instruments before finally specializing on the trombone. While still a teenager he led his own band, playing on radio in his homeland. After moving to London to continue his studies he played trombone in a succession of fine dance and jazz bands including those led by Teddy Foster, Jack Parnell and Ted Heath. He then went to the USA, where he studied in New York and played with several bands, including Charlie Barnet’s, before joining Woody Herman’s outfit for two years. He spent the 60s back in London where he became a BBC studio musician, continued his studies, and also extended his burgeoning parallel career as a composer. His first major work, ‘The Children Of Lir’, was recorded in 1970. Throughout the 70s and beyond he continued to work as a freelance musician and also formed the Bobby Lamb-Raymond Premru Orchestra, a big band specializing in playing Lamb’s concert jazz scores. He also played with Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson, the London Trombone Ensemble, formed to play his jazz scores, and led his own band, Keyman. With various orchestras, and sometimes as leader, Lamb has made more than 6, 000 radio broadcasts, played on soundtracks of over 200 films, and worked on innumerable television shows in Ireland, the UK and Germany. He has worked as composer and/or conductor with several symphony orchestras throughout Europe. His composing credits are similarly extensive and include film scores, concertos and orchestral suites, including the ‘Dublin City Suite’ which was subsequently developed as a film shot to music. He also composed ‘Symphony No. 1’ for orchestra and large jazz band and ‘Symphony No. 2’. In 1982 he was appointed Director of Jazz Studies at Trinity College of Music in London and took up a similar post in 1994 at Detmold in Germany, continuing to hold both positions into the new century. The Trinity College Big Band. in particular, is an excellent showcase for highly talented young musicians coached and encouraged by Lamb. The orchestra, which has made numerous public appearances and several albums, also showcases Lamb’s talents as a composer for the jazz orchestra. Over the decades, Lamb has consistently displayed an immense and varied talent as performer, composer and educator. Through his enthusiasm he has communicated his love for and deep understanding of jazz and many other musical forms to a new generation of musicians. In 1998, an Irish television company, RTE, completed a documentary film on Lamb’s life and career.