[BITList] Manchester Jazz Festival

[Michael Feltham]

When is a Jazz Festival not a Jazz Festival ?

Mike
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http://www.jazznorthwest.co.uk/mcrjfest.htm

Manchester Jazz Festival

Manchester Jazz Festival

2014




2013

20/07/14 -  

Mart Rodger tells me, "Although I applied for us to play at The Manchester Jazz Festival we were not invited to take part."   Well that's a surprise (I think not). 

20/07/14 - Commiserations to Mart Rodgers for not being booked at the Manchester Jazz Festival (sic). I also tried to book a parade band and a sit down band to no avail. Mind you I did notice that Jeff Lewis's Bootleg Band from Liverpool were booked, so much for supporting local outfits! If Mart wants any help to organise an Alternative /Fringe event, I'm willing.

Jeff Roberts

28/07/14 -

I have been trying for quite a few years to get traditional jazz on at the Manchester Jazz Festival, writing to Postbag Manchester Evening News saying that this is a Manchester Jazz Festival and they should should have some traditional jazz on and it should be for all Manchester people.  

Over the years I have even spoken to the guy that organises it to no avail.   

I was down at the festival a week last Sunday and bumped into the organiser again - I am sure if he had seen me first he would have hidden from me as I am always going on at him??. I again asked him why he doesn't have traditional jazz on explaining that this was a MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL and it should be for all the people in Manchester and beyond. I told him there were some very good jazz bands around the Manchester area. His answer was that it wasn't that type of jazz festival and I replied to him again that it was for all Manchester people and he should accommodate for everybody including people who love traditional jazz He then replied that people wouldn't pay the money and there were plenty of opportunities for those type of jazz bands - I disagreed with him on all these aspects said that he should have trad bands on at the festival but as on previous occasions when I have spoken to him I knew I wasn't going to win the argument and at this point he thanked me for my observations and went on his way - maybe he is frightened that the trad bands would get more of the audience, but it still isn't fair.  

I still go down to the festival a couple of times but I must say the majority of the music isn't my type of jazz music, some of it is ok but that is my choice. I still think that we should fight our corner because as I have said over and over again it is a Manchester Jazz festival and they should accommodate for all kinds of jazz for the people of Manchester and those other people who come into Manchester for the jazz. Maybe we should start a petition for next year, I am sure it would be well supported as there are still many people out there who still love the good old trad jazz and this festival is being funded and it should be for us all - keep flying the flag for trad jazz and maybe we might get some support next year.

Barbara Jones

31/07/14 -

Not having the patience or persistence of some of your correspondents, I gave up writing to the MJF some years ago. Not only did I not recognise the names of the majority of the bands, but none of them were from the Greater Manchester area. I also complained to the Musicians Union, on the grounds that, in spite of the fact that they were a major sponsor, only three of the artistes appearing were listed in the MU Members Handbook. So I gave up writing. Something to do with head and brick wall comes to mind. -

Noel Broadgate


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