Making Music's Marketing Manager and jazz guitarist, Barry Holloway, writes about how jazz is blossoming in communities across the UK, far from its urban roots. Meet the Making Music member groups bringing this rich, expressive genre to new audiences.
From rural Aberdeenshire to suburban St Albans and the leafy lanes of Leicestershire, jazz is thriving in unexpected places. Through a combination of passion, persistence, and community spirit, musicians and organisers are expanding access to this vibrant art form far beyond traditional urban strongholds.
Conversations with leaders of Making Music member groups – Addison Singers' jazz choirs, Haddo Arts, Fleetville Swing Band, and Burrough Jazz – reveal how jazz is being appreciated by local audiences across the UK.
Finding freedom through song: Addison Singers' Jazz Choirs
In London's Addison Singers, two vibrant jazz choirs flourish under the expert direction of Jill Jarman. With over 21 years at the helm, Jill has crafted spaces where singers at all levels can experience the joy, challenge, and deep expressiveness of jazz.
The larger of the two groups is an all-women, non-auditioned community choir. Here, sheet music takes a backseat: singers primarily learn by ear, building aural skills and tight phrasing that mirror the oral traditions at jazz's roots. This approach, Jill explains, helps free singers from classical constraints, fostering spontaneity and emotional release.
Each term, the choir embarks on a new themed journey. The upcoming 'Jazz Through the Ages' programme in November will trace the genre's evolution from work songs to contemporary improvisation – a testament to jazz's ability to absorb and transform.
Matthew Hough (Deputy Musical Director) leads a smaller auditioned SATB ensemble. Here, music-reading skills are essential: the repertoire is more technically demanding, featuring complex harmonies, bebop-inspired lines, and chromatic textures. Jill's bespoke arrangements allow her to tailor material to each group's strengths, keeping performances fresh and challenging.
In both choirs, Jill's ethos is clear: jazz is for everyone. From beginners discovering new confidence in their voices to seasoned musicians exploring new stylistic territory, the choirs offer an accessible, creative outlet grounded in community spirit. Live performances, accompanied by professional jazz musicians, elevate the singers' experiences, reinforcing the spontaneity and excitement of live jazz.
Notably, Jill is passionate about shining a light on lesser-known composers whose contributions to jazz history deserve greater recognition. This commitment to diversity, both musical and social, runs through every aspect of the Addison Singers' jazz programming.
An upcoming workshop on 10 August offers new singers a chance to dip their toes into both ensembles. With a repertoire sampling gospel, bebop, and cool jazz styles, it promises a welcoming celebration of jazz's expressive possibilities.
Transforming a historic venue: jazz from Haddo Arts
Hundreds of miles to the north, Haddo Arts is continuing a long tradition of high-quality music at Haddo House, a historic estate near Aberdeen, Scotland. Founded in 2012 and now operating as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Haddo Arts produces a rich year-round artistic programme, including jazz.
At the heart of this effort is Cathy Guthrie, Haddo Arts' Operations Manager, though her role spans everything from fundraising to event delivery.
Haddo House Hall, their main performance space, is itself a piece of history; built by the Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen and Taimar as a community hub for estate workers, especially women. Its welcoming atmosphere and warm acoustics make it ideal for concerts.
This summer, under a new series titled 'Haddo Arts Presents', jazz takes centre stage again with performances by the Gabriel Latchin Trio and an exciting collaboration between accordionist Ryan Corbett and improvisers Neil Birse and Matthew Kilner, both deeply connected to Aberdeenshire's musical life.
Jazz, Cathy notes, plays a crucial role in audience development. 'It brings a different energy and makes the space feel really accessible,' she says. Jazz helps Haddo welcome new audiences who might otherwise feel intimidated by a historic venue.
At the same time, Haddo maintains a deep commitment to nurturing local talent. Projects like Song for Haddo – a large-scale community work involving primary and secondary school musicians – and monthly courtyard concerts featuring young performers, exemplify their grassroots ethos.
Big band spirit: Fleetville Swing Band
In St Albans, Fleetville Swing Band demonstrates how a strong community ethos can go hand-in-hand with musical ambition. Originally formed in 2009 to support a local festival, the band has grown from six members to a 35-strong group today, performing classic big band repertoire from the 1940s and beyond.
Chair and keyboardist Matt Cox, who joined in 2012, describes the band's culture as inclusive but aspirational. Most members have a musical background, whether as returning leisure-time players, current teachers, or even former professionals. A professional jazz drummer serves as musical director, helping the band tackle increasingly challenging material over time.
Rehearsing every other week, Fleetville Swing Band balances high standards with a welcoming spirit. Players who struggle with complex charts are encouraged to simplify parts where needed – participation and enjoyment are paramount.
Upcoming highlights include a VE Day dinner dance at St Albans Cathedral – a venue with majestic but tricky acoustics. The band is set to rise to the challenge, delivering a stirring tribute to the big band era in a stunning setting.
Though currently full and closed to new members, Fleetville maintains strong links with local music communities, signposting potential members toward jam sessions and other playing opportunities.
At its heart, Fleetville Swing Band is more than a performance group, it's a social lifeline. As Matt puts it, 'It's not about technical perfection. It's about creating a joyful release from the pressures of life.'
Jazz in the shires: Burrough Jazz
When Gillian Geddes relocated from London to rural Leicestershire, she expected tranquillity, but not cultural isolation. Finding herself an hour's drive from the nearest quality live jazz, Gillian and her husband Greg decided to create their own solution: Burrough Jazz.
No strangers to promoting music – they previously ran jazz seasons at Pizza on the Park in London – the couple set out to bring top-tier jazz to their new community. Gillian's insight came not just from the promoter's side: she was a professional jazz singer herself, frequently performing in some of London's fanciest hotels. Her first-hand experience of the scene – the intimacy of a jazz club, the buzz of anticipation, the magic of a great performance – underpins every Burrough Jazz event.
Burrough Jazz aims to capture the atmosphere of a Soho club in the heart of the countryside. Its success lies not only in smart programming but also in Gillian's deep understanding and love of the music. Their concerts attract an audience hungry for live jazz – a significant achievement in an area previously underserved. While Leicestershire boasts cultural diversity, Gillian found jazz largely absent outside Leicester itself.
Their approach underscores a broader truth about the UK's jazz landscape: audiences exist far beyond major cities. With enough drive and vision, quality jazz can thrive even in the quietest corners.
Jazz's enduring appeal
Across these varied projects, a common theme emerges: jazz's adaptability and its power to bring people together. Jazz musicians and promoters continue to find new ways to reach people wherever they are.
To find out more about Addison Singers' Jazz Choirs, visit their website and follow them on X (Twitter) and Facebook
To find out more about Haddo Arts, visit their website and follow them on X (Twitter) and Facebook
To find out more about Fleetville Swing Band, visit their website and follow them on X (Twitter) and Facebook
To find out more about Burrough Jazz, visit their website and follow them on Facebook
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