(From the Gloucestershire Echo, 27 December 2000.)

Jaz Jets Off For Concert

Cheltenham composer Jaz Coleman will spend the new year in Poland n performing in a concert with pal Nigel Kennedy.

The 40-year-old and his wife Brenda left his parents' Charlton Kings home yesterday.

He recently recorded Riders on the Storm, The Doors Concerto with violinist Mr. Kennedy.

From Poland the former Killing Joke frontman will return to his base at the Czech Opera House.

He then performs with opera singer Magdalena, before jetting out to his home on Great Barrier Island, New Zealand, to continue working on projects.

He said: "It's exciting. I've got quite a lot of conducting next year, which is new for me. I'm just trying to work it all out really. It's going to be a busy time."

Mr. Coleman's Doors Concerto earned him a job as resident composer with the Prague Symphony Orchestra.

Projects for the new year include composing a new concerto, working with the Royal Opera House and a new album.

"I've had so much classical music I feel like going crazy with Killing Joke again as a kind of antidote," he said.