So here it is. This week, Jazz re:freshed will have been running for ten years, yes TEN WHOLE YEARS, which as you can imagine, is kind of a big deal for us. To many, Jazz re:freshed is a place to go when they want to hear quality live music, to some it’s a place to socialise with like minded individuals, to others it doesn’t mean anything at all, it’s just another night a their local watering hole. To us, it’s our contribution to the music and culture which have helped shape us as individuals and the evolution and growth of it, that continues to thrill us.
We’ll cover the history of Jazz re:freshed in another post, however as we reflect on this milestone as promoters, we believe it is something to be proud of, especially in an age where very few music promotions get the ‘established’ status, more often ending up in the old and irrelevant pile after a year or two, whether they deserve to be there or not.
It has been hard work though, a lot of man hours, emptying of pockets, personal sacrifices and it continues to be a real challenge. Because it’s weekly, the work that goes into maintaining a weekly live event isn’t always apparent to the general public, neither is the serious commitment of the whole team, who do this essentially for love.
We cannot lie, there have been difficult times when we’ve been collectively drained and ready to call it a day, but in spite of common sense, we continued to soldier through those difficult times. This is down to what I consider our most important quality (or curse, depending on how you look at it), dogged perseverance. It is also down the two key ingredients in the Jazz re:freshed formula – the supporters (in all their guises) and the performers. We have worked with hundreds of fantastic musicians, bands, DJ’s, and producers, who provide us with the inspiration to do this thing and reinforce our belief in the value of live music and music generally.
These ten years have been shared with one venue, the Mau Mau Bar and I’d like to think it has been a relationship of mutual appreciation from both sides, however it has not been without the occasional spat and cross word between us. To be afforded the time and space to share successful nights, as well as failed ones and to acknowledge our vision, by allowing us the time to build and grow, is something we will always be grateful for.
At this moment in time, Jazz re:freshed is encountering many exciting opportunities and although they may have seemed a long time in coming, it really feels like the it’s beginning of something for us. The hunger and desire to support the music, culture and creativity that we feel is worth fighting for, still burns strong. We are constantly refreshing and trying to progress what we do and how we do it, to make sure our contribution to the culture is current, fresh and relevant.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qvQSAdAE6c]
So, how many more years will we continue to do this?
Personally, I don’t like to predict the future. We’ll just keep working hard to remain a part of the present, however I’m confident that if the time does comes to pack up shop, we will know. Right now, I hope that time is never.
To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, we have an array of events and projects planned for the rest of the year and beyond, starting with the official Birthday party this coming Thursday (May 2nd 2013) at Mau Mau, featuring Kaidi Tatham and a smorgasbord of special guests to help us celebrate. We will also be having a T-Shirt sale and a few surprises on the night.
Among the events and projects planned for the year, we will be having a mini-festival (keep the date 24th August 2013 in your diaries, lots more info over the coming weeks), publishing a book, holding an exhibition (or two), hosting a film festival and more.
We really appreciate those of you who support us, share our journey, perform on the night, spin on our decks, listen to our music, purchase our T-Shirts and keep us encouraged, from wherever you are on this Earth. We hope you stick with us and together we’ll keep shining a light on the music and culture we love.
(aka TopRock)
