the formal biography

Corey Mwamba creates music using vibraphone, dulcimer, electronics and small instruments. His music contains elements of jazz, folk from different countries, and electronica.

Born in Derby and a former chemist and librarian, Corey is virtually self-taught in music having made the decision to take up vibraphone in his late teens after seeing a picture of Orphy Robinson in a book and taking five lessons with the orchestral percussionist Lewis Dyson.

Playing

Corey is primarily known as a highly creative improviser with a wide stylistic range: there have been appearances with Orphy Robinson, Pat Thomas, and Lol Coxhill; Andy Hamilton, Tony Kofi, the Master Drummers of Africa; Evan Parker, the Quantic Soul Orchestra, Robert Mitchell's Panacea; as well as his own solo performances and with his collective the Symbiosis Ensemble. He has also worked as a percussionist with Derby Concert Orchestra.

Selected achievements

Corey is also seen as a skilled composer and band-leader; his commissions include Dhara Blues, a work for percussion and Kathak dancers for Derby Jazz: and with writer Bea Udeh and the Midlands-spanning group the Symbiosis Ensemble, Corey Mwamba's literature and music piece Nature's Glory, Fancy's Child. This piece was selected for the regional Decibel Live! Showcase in 2004 and Derby Jazz Week 2005. The research for this work led Corey to present a talk on the creative presentation of history for the Black and Asian Studies Association at the V&A Museum in 2005.

In the same year his solo improvisation, Three Two One, was selected for the Freeness album set up by CDR, Chris Offili, and the Observer Music Monthly.

Corey Mwamba was selected for the Jerwood/PRS Foundation's 2007 Take Five Initiative, a significant artist development scheme for emerging jazz musicians: he was also nominated for the 2008 BBC Jazz Award for Innovation. In 2009, Corey was selected by Arts Council England for The International Association of the Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (BJCEM) event in Skopje.

Nothing happened in 2006.

Education and Community

Corey's educational work combines his interest in science (he has a Chemistry degree) and the world with music. He has led many community workshops and performed talks on the science of sound in many schools and cultural centres. In addition, Corey is a strong advocate of open source software and web literacy.

Here's a list of some of the organisations Corey has worked with:

Advocacy and consultancy

An active member of his local arts community, Corey has worked with many regional arts organisations in advocacy and consultancy. He has held positions for Derby Jazz, World Song Derby, and the Three Cities selection panel steering group, among others. He helped set up the Freestyle jam sessions in Leicester, Knit Club [which has been featured on BBC East Midlands Today, BBC Radio Derby and Jonathan Ross' Radio 2 show] and has made various fun contributions to the Derby Festival of Words.

His current appointments: