Having moved to London, Ardley studied arranging and composition with Ray Premru from 1960 to 1961. He joined the John Williams Big Band as pianist, writing both arrangements and new compositions, and from 1964 to 1970 was the director of the newly-formed New Jazz Orchestra, which employed some of the best young musicians in London, including Ian Carr, Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Dave Gelly, Mike Gibbs, Don Rendell, and Trevor Tomkins.
In the late 1960s, encouraged by record producer and impresario Denis Preston, Ardley began composing in earnest, combining classical and jazz methods. His rich orchestrations were augmented in the 1970s by the addition of synthesisers. However, as he began work on an all-electronic album in 1980, Ardley's recording contract was suddenly terminated, and he fell back on his writing and publishing career. He continued to play and compose, especially with Zyklus, the electronic jazz group he formed with composer (and former student) John L. Walters, Derbyshire musician Warren Greveson and Ian Carr.
Singing in local choirs in the later 1990s led Ardley to start composing choral music, and this occupied most of his musical attention until his death. At the time of his death, Ardley had begun to gig and record again with a slimmed down Zyklus consisting of himself, Warren Greaveson, and Nick Robinson.
Discography
- 1965: Western Reunion (New Jazz Orchestra)
- 1968: Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (New Jazz Orchestra)
- 1970: Greek Variations (with Ian Carr & Don Rendell)
- 1971: A Symphony of Amaranths
- 1973: Mike Taylor Remembered (with Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr, Henry Lowther, Dave Gelly, and Norma Winstone)
- 1976: Kaleidoscope of Rainbows (with Ian Carr and Nucleus, produced by Paul Buckmaster)
- 1978: Harmony of the Spheres
- 1991: Virtual Realities (Zyklus) with Ian Carr, John L. Walters and Warren Greveson.
- 2001: Creation Mass (words by Patrick Huddie)