Renowned multifaceted organisation Jazz re:freshed is delighted to announce the return of their iconic weekly show, once again shining a spotlight on the talent, vibrancy and diversity in UK Jazz from Thursday 7 th of January 2021, 9pm. (Main image: JD3)
Yvette Griffith, Executive Director & co-Chief Exec says “As a Black led not-for-profit organisation leading in the field of national and international showcasing of young and diverse UK Jazz artists, we feel it’s imperative that during this period, we continue to be a beacon for the global Jazz community by continuing to shine a light on musical excellence. Support from our funders and the government’s Culture Recovery funds have ensured we can continue to do our part to keep the sector thriving while also in our small way, supporting artists who rely on live performance income to survive.”
As part of a digital strategy to keep UK jazz thriving while venues are closed or operating in limited capacities, Jazz re:freshed the AIM Awards 2020, Label of the Year, will continue the legacy of their west London Mau Mau Bar residency as a weekly digital stream, broadcast from YouTube & Facebook Live at 9pm, every Thursday night from 7th January 2021.
Whilst the medium adapts to the world we currently live in, Jazz re:freshed’s objective remains exactly the same; showcasing emerging UK Jazz talent to a diverse community of music lovers. “Despite barriers, we are still on a mission to celebrate a genre and musicians whose performance opportunities are severely reduced right now, and to showcase the incredibly diverse, colourful, expressive and creative world of jazz music and alternative culture in the UK.” – Adam Moses, co-Founder, Event & Label Director of Jazz re:freshed Jazz re:freshed has massively contributed to changing the UK Jazz landscape on a global scale, via their international showcasing initiative launched in 2017, JAZZ RE:FRESHED OUTERNATIONAL.
With its bristling interaction of DJ culture and fashion, Jazz re:freshed has created multiple international profile raising opportunities for artists such as saxophonists Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia , pianists Ashley Henry and Sarah Tandy , drummers Moses Boyd and Yussef Dayes , as well as combos including Native Dancer and Ezra Collective. In an effort to deliver a digital experience as truthful as possible to the Jazz re:freshed ethos, the team has worked relentlessly to recreate the feel and energy of their 17 year long, live weekly residency focussing on stage layout, lighting, audio mix, colour treatment… every single detail has been looked at very carefully for the viewer to feel the unique Jazz re:freshed vibes from the comfort of their home. Presented in monthly blocks, the streams will shine light on the pipeline of young developing artists coming through onto the scene while also offering shows by more established acts who are entirely part of the Jazz re:freshed family.
The weekly streams will feature artists including Doom Cannon, Romarna Campbell, Native Dancer, JD3 and Rosie Turton. Donations will be invited for each bands’ performance, in order to further support the artists and the work of Jazz re:freshed.
“As a new wave of British jazz has willed itself into being over the past decade, a hefty chunk of that unglamorous below-the-surface work has been put in by the estimable Jazz re:freshed organsation, whose record label, regular live residencies, advocacy and support have helped ensure that there’s somewhere for this emerging new generation to play, and an audience ready to hear them.”
The Quietus, July 2019 Justin McKenzie, Artistic Director and co-Founder says “We started Jazz re:freshed 17 years ago to provide alternative performance opportunities for young, mostly Black UK jazz artists who felt disenfranchised by London’s mainstream jazz scene. In 2020, there is as many if not more talent that we want to showcase and give a platform to, and no pandemic is going to stop us.”
The weekly residency is Jazz re:freshed’s foundation. Nominated 3 years in a row for Best Jazz Venue in the UK Parliamentary Jazz Awards, it’s acknowledged as one of the key Jazz nights for opportunity and talent discovery, particularly for London’s young and Black communities. It returns as a series of online sessions in 2021 as a result of support by the government’s Culture Recovery funding. This funding was made available to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure the arts has a sustainable future.
