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James Borland

James is a Trumpet player, composer and bandleader from Birmingham. He regularly performs in Birmingham and across the country in both his own groups and as a sideman. James always aims to listen, improvise freely and commit to the music being performed. Often recognised for his unique tone and sensitive improvising, James enjoys performing various styles of music with different musicians. His influences include Clifford Brown, Don Cherry, Lee Konitz and Louis Armstrong.

James’ earliest memory of the trumpet is seeing and hearing Louis Armstrong in the film High Society and from then on he begged his parents to get him trumpet lessons. After starting lessons, his musical journey was supported by the various groups at the Solihull Music Service and in his teenage years he began playing in the Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra and studying at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Juniors with Percy Pursglove, Mike Williams and Lluis Mather. At 18, he decided to continue his studies with Pursglove and Williams for his undergraduate at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he graduated in 2021.