In Focus: JAZZ RE:FRESHED
July 12-19 Tropical Pressure Porthtowan, Cornwall tropicalpressure.co.uk
July 13-26 King’s Lynn Festival King’s Lynn, Norfolk kingslynnfestival.org.uk
July 18-27 Milton Keynes International Festival MK:IF Milton Keynes ifmiltonkeynes.org
July 20 Folk by the Oak Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire folkbytheoak.com
July 24-27 Warwick Folk Festival Castle Park, Warwick, Warwickshire warwickfolkfestival.co.uk
July 24-27 WOMAD Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire womad.co.uk
July 25-28 Latitude Festival Henham Park, Suffolk latitudefestival .com
P h o t o c o u r t e s y o f
J a z z r e : f r e s h e d
From its legendary 17-year tenure at Notting Hill’s Mau Mau Bar, Jazz re:freshed have emerged as pivotal figures in the recent rise to prominence of the UK jazz scene, innovative promoters championing a young, vibrant and exciting generation of London artists, including Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Ezra Collective, Ashley Henry and Yussef Dayes. What initially began in 2003 as a DJ summit for a group of friends spinning their favourite tunes, has become a transformative mission to platform and elevate some of the finest talent the capital has to offer, a coterie of rising stars already making their impact felt upon the world stage.
But , according to Jazz re:freshed’s creative director Justin McKenzie, it’s vital to guard against complacency. “While we are seeing some extremely high-profile success stories, there are still many in the genre finding it tough,” he warns. “We need to keep the energy up, so more musicians in the genre feel the benefits. We need to maintain the sense of community that elevated this
Balimaya Project during one of Jazz re:freshed’s Outernational evenings scene and not let the industry destroy it . We have to continue to break down the barriers and prejudices that hold back jazz music and jazz culture.”
Via its engaging range of game-changing events – a weekly residency at its resettled East London home at 91Living Room, annual festivals, SXSW showcases and other bespoke projects and collaborations, in the UK and abroad – Jazz re:freshed continues to challenge hoary old perceptions of jazz, proselytising the cause of a new breed, while remaining entirely respectful of the genre’s rich heritage.
For McKenzie, it’s all about the music. Let the numbers take care of themselves: “We focus on bands and artists that we believe in, always putting quality over popularity with the aim of making quality popular. Of course, we want as many people as possible to support the artists and bands we platform. But , when you have a respectful, attentive, responsive crowd, where the artists have given their best and are fully appreciated – in our opinion, this is a successful night .”
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