Jazz Promotion Network AGM & Conference, June 26th and 27th

At the end of June, the Jazz Promotion Network will hold a two day college at Leeds College of Music including talks, presentations and discuss on the current and future jazz scene in the UK.

As a brief overview, you can expect -

• Discussion groups (led by facilitators) exploring the future of jazz
• Facilitated meetings for different areas of the sector on shared opportunities and challenges
• Updates on new and ongoing JPN projects
• Live music from some of the north’s leading jazz artists
• The formal JPN AGM (open to JPN members only)

Promoters, musicians and industry professionals will travel from all over the across to attend this two day event and tickets are available for non-JPN members. The prices are as follows - 

Under 30s - £15 for one day, £30 for both days

Non-members, individuals and volunteers - £30 for one day, £45 for both days

Non-JPN  organisation - £99 for one day, £139 for both days

For more information and to register to attend, visit the Jazz Promotion Network website.

Jazz North Education Conference, March 21st

Jazz North is to run a one day conference on jazz education at the Carriageworks in Leeds on March 21st. The day is entitled Improvisation: catalyst for learning and child development.

The day will feature presentations by a number of speakers and is open to anyone involved in music education, be it as a freelance educator, school teacher, MD or anything else! There are a limited number of travel bursaries available to support those travelling from further afield.

For those unable to attend, the event will be streamed through Facebook Live.

A list of the speakers and presentations are listed below. For more information, see the Jazz North website.

Presentations include -

How the brain responds and learns from Improvisation (Dr Graeme Wilson, Edinburgh University)

Helping people from challenging backgrounds develop musical, technical and performance skills (Dr Enrico Bertelli, Conductive Music)

Improvisation for young children and toddlers (Una McGlone)

Practical approaches for introducing improvisation in the classroom and beyond (Dave Evans)

Jazz North Education Conference - Speakers Announced

Jazz North have announced the speakers that will take part in this year's jazz education conference on March 8th at Leeds College of Music.

Gary Crosby OBE will give the keynote address, discussing his work with Tomorrow's Warriors and his experience in supporting and mentoring young musicians as they transition into professional careers.

Gary will be joined by NYMAZ director Heidi Johnson, renowned improvising guitarist Chris Sharkey and trumpeter and educator Ian Chalk

A limited number of spaces are still available for those wishing to attend and full information can be found on the Jazz North website.

Jazz North Education Conference - 8th March

                                                  Dr Kathy Dyson (Photo: Porl Medlock)

Jazz North have announced the date for their annual Education Conference and networking day as March 8th. As in previous years, the event will be held at Leeds College of Music.

This will be our fourth annual jazz education conference day and a valuable opportunity to find out what Jazz North can offer Music Education Hubs and the jazz education sector, listen to case studies from hubs and delivery organisations, network with colleagues and discuss how we might work together to mutual benefit. 

Music teachers, youth music leaders, Music Hubs and freelance musicians/teachers are invited to attend the event and for the first time, there will be 5-minute bulletin slots offered to all attendees to provide a snapshot of the work they do or perhaps a pitch for a new project.

A full list of speakers is expected within the coming weeks and you can visit the Jazz North website to sign up and read reports from previous conferences.

South African Jazz at University of York, September 4-9

The University of York is hosting a 6 day celebration of South African jazz to initiate a two year British Academy Newton Advanced Fellowship project entitled South African Jazz Culture and the Archive.

Between September 4th and 9th, a host of international speakers will appear at the University to give talks, book readings, film showings, live music and more. All events are open to the public and free to attend (booking is required!) Below is a snapshot of the events but for full details, visit the University of York website.

Friday 4th September

Prof. Christopher Ballantine - Song, Memory, Power and the South African Archive

Saturday 5th September

Catherine & Darius Brubeck - Two Takes from 'Jazz Life', a work in progress
Eugene Skeef - Bheki Mseleku - Keeper of the Home

Sunday 6th September

Adam Glasser, Tete Mbambisa & Pinise Saul - South African Jazz Standards Legacy Project 
Dr Lindelwa Dalamba, Vuyiswa Ngcwangu & Pinise Saul - Women in South African Jazz

Monday 7th September

Dr Sazi Dlamini- [De]articulations of mbaqanga in South African engagements with the jazz influence

Tuesday 8th September

Dr Lindelwa Dalamba - Emergent Music: South African Jazz and the Postcolony

Wednesday 9th September

Tete Mbambisa (piano) and his Big ‘SA-UK’ Sound with Julian Argüelles (tenor), Chris Batchelor (trumpet), Steve Buckley (alto), Gilbert Matthews (drums), Vuysiwa Ngcwangu (voice) and Steve Watts (bass)

Calling all vocalists: 1st International Jazz Voice Conference

                                                      Photo credit: James Barry Knox

Sibelius Academy in Helsinki is to host the first International Jazz Voice Conference between 17-19 October this year. The theme of this year's conference is Artistry in Jazz Singing and the keynote speakers will include Carmen Lundy (pictured) and Michele Weir.

The International Jazz Voice Conference in Helsinki is the first event of its type, organized for jazz singers by jazz singers. The first edition of the IJVC comes from the acute need for international specialists in the field to connect and interact. IJVC aims to raise awareness of the importance and significance of jazz singing among vocalists, musicians and the general public. IJVC is also a platform for connecting professionals.

The conference organisers are now accepting submissions for papers to be featured at the event, with a deadline of April 15th. Their brief for submissions is quite wide, stating on their website that  

We welcome proposals on the following topics: vocal jazz improvisation, sound qualities and jazz voice technique, interpretation, traditional vocal jazz, history of vocal jazz, stylistic directions of vocal jazz, instrumentalists versus singers, vocal jazz pedagogy, vocal jazz research, and vocal jazz in different countries/cultures. Proposals on other topics related to jazz singing may also be considered, so please send your abstract and topic.

For full information, see IJVC website.

Jazz North Education Conference

Jazz North is to host their 3rd Jazz Education Conference at Leeds College of Music on 17th March. 

The event will run from 11am until 4pm and features a number of talks and workshops focused on jazz and improvisation for children and young people.

Who Can Attend?

The event is aimed at -

• Primary and secondary schools, further education colleges, universities
• Senior educational leaders, subject leaders, educational professionals, teachers, teaching assistants, newly qualified teachers, Special Educational Needs Coordinators
• Local authority arts development teams, children’s services, school improvement services, events and festival coordinators
• Youth music services
• Arts organisations, artists and arts practitioners… and anyone who works with and supports those working with young people

Topics covered will include First Access, CPD for music teachers, youth jazz orchestras & more. Sign-up is required and interested parties should email info@jazznorth.org or use the contact form on this website to register their place.

Read a report of last year's conference.

Jazz Promotion Network Conference

The first Jazz Promotion Network Conference takes place in Manchester on July 23rd and 24th, during the Manchester Jazz Festival.

Over the course of two days there will a number of sessions led by influential speakers and presentations on topics including international opportunities, discussions on audiences, touring, education and proposal of ideas for future collaborations between venues and promoters.

The conference is open to individuals and organisations and delegates will also receive free entry to selected festival performances.

Prices for attendance are listed on the Jazz Promotion Network website and members receive one free place and two further discounted places.