After 16 months of the pandemic Jazz North has been determined to help get northern artists back out playing live. To help reignite northern line we headed out to northern venues to bring artists and promoters back together under one roof, with a virtual and distant audience to witness the result.
Back to Live gives each northern line band a chance to come together safely and takeover a venue. The pandemic has seen many artists unable to work, rehearse and perform. Venues have consistently battled changing guidelines, last minute cancellations and months of closure.
It’s been incredibly hard, but the industry has come together in solidarity to work through it.
For more information on booking artists, including our new policy and streaming guidance, please email heather@jazznorth.org for more information.
To help support promoters at this difficult time we have increased the artist fee subsidy to 70% to reduce the financial risk for promoters and venues. See northern line
Blog post May 2021 jazz-north-goes-back-to-live
Since 2012 Jazz North’s northern line scheme has supported 74 northern jazz artists creating 700+ gigs. Artists also receive mentoring, career development and promotional support.
Working in partnership with venues and organisations across the north, four northern line artists headed out to More Music in Morecambe and Future Yard in Birkenhead.
John Pope Quintet and Nishla Smith Quintet took over More Music, and Not Now Charlie and Rafe’s Dilemma descended on Future Yard for two great days of rehearsals, photoshoots and development sessions in budgeting, project planning and marketing with industry professionals. They got themselves gig-ready with new and existing material, and had the time to experiment and try out new ideas. All four bands then performed in front of a live and streaming audience at their respective venues and here are the results! Live streaming the events has given the artists footage to help re-launch their music as we get back to live, and, most importantly, to make music working with these brilliant venues and promoters who we’ve all missed over this period.
Look out for exciting news from Jemma Freese and SogoRock, coming soon.