A FIVE-piece group of young jazz musicians has successfully completed a compact disc recording of well-known jazz standards.The pupils from Needham Market Middle School visited a recording studio in Norfolk last July and now have copies for sale, with proceeds going to school funds.

A FIVE-piece group of young jazz musicians has successfully completed a compact disc recording of well-known jazz standards.

The pupils from Needham Market Middle School visited a recording studio in Norfolk last July and now have copies for sale, with proceeds going to school funds.

Saxophonists Daniel Jackson and George Allen, both 12, drum kit player Jacob Moore, 13, and tuned percussionist Philip Burn, 12, have attended extra-curricular sessions at the school for three years, learning to perform the arrangements and to improvise.

Last year the group helped the school to raise £1,000 for charity, performing at the Stowmarket Tesco superstore, and it has also appeared at a number of private functions, school concerts and productions. The highlights of this year though have been appearing at the Celebration of Schools' Music at Snape Maltings and making the CD.

School music co-ordinator John Rednall, who writes the musical arrangements and plays the piano in the group, said: "The pupils sound just like established adult jazz musicians and often surprise their audience with their prowess. They thoroughly enjoy this style of music. We called the CD 'Jazz at Twelve' because that was the age of the children who took part."

Members of the jazz group performed at the Needham Middle School open evening on Wednesday.