▁the ▁band ▁has ▁also ▁seen ▁regular ▁augment ation ▁with ▁additional ▁instruments ▁including ▁French ▁horn s , ▁tub as , ▁extra ▁wind ▁and ▁on ▁occasion ▁large ▁groups ▁of ▁strings , ▁particularly ▁the ▁BBC ▁Con cert ▁Orchestra , ▁( effect ively ▁recre ating ▁the ▁line - up ▁of ▁the ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁Orchestra ). ▁ ▁The ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁Big ▁Band ▁was ▁also ▁complement ed ▁by ▁similar ▁ens emb les ▁throughout ▁the ▁UK , ▁including ▁the ▁BBC ▁Northern ▁Dance ▁Orchestra ▁in ▁Manchester ▁and ▁the ▁BBC ▁Scottish ▁Radio ▁Orchestra ▁in ▁Glasgow ▁( which ▁was ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Radio ▁Scotland ▁Big ▁Band ). ▁ ▁The ▁band ▁was ▁used ▁across ▁a ▁huge ▁variety ▁of ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁program mes , ▁its ▁main ▁features ▁included ▁Jazz ▁Par ade , ▁Saturday ▁Sw ings ▁and ▁Saturday ▁Night , ▁accomp any ing ▁sing ers ▁and ▁performing ▁instrument al ▁versions ▁of ▁popular ▁t unes . ▁Though ▁staff ed ▁with ▁many ▁jazz ▁solo ists , ▁the ▁band ▁had ▁little ▁in ▁the ▁way ▁of ▁dedicated ▁jazz ▁output ▁and ▁was ▁used ▁primarily ▁as ▁a ▁light - music ▁ensemble ▁and ▁dance ▁band . ▁But ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁a ▁significant ▁development ▁took ▁place ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁band ▁establish ing ▁its ▁own ▁identity ▁as ▁a ▁dedicated ▁jazz ▁or chestra ▁when ▁Big ▁Band ▁Special ▁began . ▁Origin ally ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁ 1 2 ▁shows , ▁such ▁was ▁the ▁impact ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁BBC ▁Big ▁Band ▁in ▁this ▁show ▁that ▁the ▁run ▁was ▁extended . ▁The ▁programme ▁remained ▁a ▁key ▁part ▁of ▁Radio ▁