The All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG), which sponsors the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, has commissioned a report to shed light on the opportunities and challenges faced by one of the most vibrant components of the English arts scene. It has been compiled by musician, radio presenter and former arts administrator Chris Hodgkins and musician and journalist Howard Lawes.
In summary, APPJG chair, Chi Onwurah MP has said: “In recent years, the English jazz scene has grown more dynamic and multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of influences that resonate across generations and backgrounds. But while the spirit of jazz remains vibrant, our musicians, promoters, educators, and venues face unique pressures that have been intensified by economic and cultural shifts, not least the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Interview with Chris Hodgkins by Sebastian Scotney.
UK Jazz News: Why has this report been commissioned – and now published?
Chris Hodgkins: The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group’s (APPJG) objective is to encourage wider and deeper enjoyment of jazz, to increase Parliamentarians’ understanding of the jazz industry and issues surrounding it, to promote jazz as a musical form and to raise its profile inside and outside Parliament. To that end APPJG asked Arts Council England to undertake a review of jazz, they declined on two occasions – hence the undertaking of the Review of Jazz in England by APPJG.
UKJN: And why now?
CH: It has taken some time, as both Howard Lawes and I have a million and one other things to do, and because it had to be done on a strictly pro bono basis. With a new government, the review of Arts Council England, the AI consultation – links to my submissions to the AI consultation and to the DCMS “State of Play” consultation are below. Plus the utter shambles of the red tape strangling bands and musicians touring in the EU, the lack of funding of grass roots venues and the appalling low levels of remuneration for musicians streaming their music and lack of music education in schools…that’s just for starters.
UKJN: What are the main points?
CH: The crucial point is the UK jazz scene is not joined up. People are busy with noses to the grindstone in a hostile funding environment. With the present government’s headlong dash for growth, which appears to include UK musicians and bands being thrown under a bus so tech companies can, at no cost, plunder their intellectual property, it is crucial that the jazz community comes together to plot their own course and destiny for mutual benefit. There is not much new under the sun so united we stand or divided we fall.
UKJN: What actions do you think need taking now?
CH: APPJG will play its part with its partners on trying to solve the issues in point 2, and the jazz community has to play its part with national planning meetings and an effective action plan.
3 responses
A fascinating read. The thing which caught my eye was this.
Audience numbers in 2019/2020 were estimated as 2.9 million for Classical music, 2.2 million for Jazz and 1.3 million for opera. (It is unclear how this data fits in with the advent of covid.) In the Arts Council England’s last funding round for the year 2023/2024, 49% of the music allocation went to opera, 24% to classical music, 0.40% to folk music, 0.50% to brass bands and 2% to jazz.
It would be helpful if, in future reports, comparative statistics could also be provided for the BBC broadcast of opera, classical and jazz and if streaming figures could be provided (on say Spotify) for opera, classical and jazz.
It should be noted that jazz is almost certainly suffering from a chicken-and-egg situation here. Jazz is grossly unrepresented on the BBC in relation to the audience numbers quoted above. If the broadcast ratio was in proportion, then this would almost certainly result in a greater interest in jazz and a consequent increase in the audience size for jazz.
I was somewhat disconcerted to find that conservatoire jazz courses were held with regard by the report. Recently I and some of my acquittances have started to use the term ‘conservatoire jazz’ as a term of abuse to described academic soulless jazz.
To put this into context, Soweto Kinch holds a degree in Modern History from Oxford University and Jamie Cullum holds a first-class honours degree in English Literature and Film Studies from reading University. No need for a music degree.
I couldn’t agree more with the central message: collaboration is essential. If we can move past long-standing divisions and occasional tensions, there’s a real opportunity to strengthen jazz across the UK: amplifying its reach, representation, and impact. It’s not always easy, but it’s a worthwhile effort for the future of our art form, for the next generation, and for an overall fairer share of funding support.