Jazz Central Press Release
Jazz Midlands are excited to announce the second iteration of the Jazz Central Mentoring scheme, which pairs emerging jazz musicians, all Midlands based, with established and experienced high-profile jazz stars, many of whom have international performing and recording careers.
Jazz Central Mentoring, was initiated in 2023 by bassist Arnie Somogyi, who teaches jazz at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, is supported by Phil Rose of Jazz Midlands and Birmingham Jazz, and funded by Arts Council England.
Its aim is to offer young professional jazz musicians living in the Midlands with an opportunity to develop their compositional and performance skills, profile and professional network, under the guidance of a mentor.
The first round of the scheme, in 2023, was very successful and enthusiastically received by all who took part. Mentees had the opportunity to present their original music as part of a well-attended 3-day festival held during the first week of September 2023 at 1000 Trades, the home of Birmingham Jazz, in Birmingham’s vibrant Jewellery Quarter. Projects were then toured to Jazz Midlands partner venues in Coventry, Worcester, Stourbridge, Wolverhampton and Ross-on-Wye.
In addition to providing a showcase for new music, Jazz Central Mentoring helped mentees to realise a diverse range of career-developing outcomes, which included tours of other venues on the UK jazz circuit, enrolment on prestigious post-graduate composition courses in Scandinavia (http://nocom.info/) and successful funding applications to Arts Council England to further develop their creative practice.
This year’s programme has been expanded to include six mentees and is once again centred around a 3-day festival at 1000 Trades, which takes place from 6th to 8th September. Full details can be found on the Birmingham Jazz website: https://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk/jazz-central-festival-2024.
Projects will also be toured to partner venues in the West Midlands:
5th September: Torin Davies with James Maddren, The Marrs Bar, Worcester
11th September: Andrew Duncan with Rachel Cohen, Stratford Playhouse, Stratford
12th September: James Borland with George Crowley, The Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye
13th September: Alex Clarke with Alex Garnett, The Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge
18th September: James Romaine with Gareth Lockrane, The Cathedral Hotel, Lichfield
19th September: Dave Flanagan with Phil Robson, The Albany Club, Coventry
Further info on mentees and their mentors:
Andrew Duncan (drums) and Rachel Cohen (sax)
Alex Clarke (sax) and Alex Garnett (sax)
James Borland (trumpet) and George Crowley (sax)
Dave Flanagan (bass) and Phil Robson (guitar)
James Romaine (sax) and Gareth Lockrane (flute)
Torin Davies (guitar) and James Maddren (drums)
As in 2023, the application process was made deliberately straightforward and accessible. Candidates were required to submit a 500 word proposal, outlining their project. They were able to choose from a long list of mentors, who’d indicated a willingness to participate, or propose their own choice of mentor.
The six successful applicants were selected by a panel which included promoters based in the Midlands. Each will receive a ‘stipend’ to cover time spent on the project.
Project Director, Arnie Somogyi, described the scheme:
“Many musicians find the idea of applying directly for project funding complex and daunting.
I took inspiration from a similar programme run by the Berlin Musikfonds, a government-funded organisation, which made the process of applying for funding simple and accessible, encouraging musicians themselves to apply and trusting the successful recipients to deliver.
Most musicians would rather be working on their music than lengthy funding applications and the ‘Jazz Central’ scheme adopts a ‘light-touch’ admin approach, but with a clear focal point – the festival in September.
Mentors will be expected to offer advice on composition, as well as their experience in areas such as networking, career development and presentation. I’m excited that this valuable scheme is now in its second year and am looking forward to hearing the results.”
Contact:
Email jazzmidlands@gmail.com
Phil Rose 07887 526435
Email arnie@arniesomogyi.com
Arnie Somogyi 07973 508489
