When Brian Soundy founded UK Jazz Now it was the culmination of a career in live music, predominantly jazz but with a blues influence.
Brian promised himself that he would:
1. share his passion for live music – through producing radio shows for the general public to experience the complete range of contemporary jazz but with flashbacks to enable people to enjoy some of the classic artists of yesteryear
2. support upcoming talent through finding opportunities to showcase their work and helping them to promote themselves as musicians
3. find gigs for both new and established artists by offering venue bookers, festival organisers and corporate event organisers an artist booking agency
4. introduce young people to jazz and blues, and sharing some of the history of the genres
5. create a new jazz record label which is proactive in generating interest and awareness of the artist and writer alike
When Brian teamed up with Radio Bracknell Forest and produced his early radio shows for them, he found that the synergy of ideas and mutual enthusiasm for live music he shared with the station’s founder, John Hicks, sparked off an unstoppable energy.
The listener figures for the UK Jazz Now show increased steadily every week, contacts with artists and fans grew and grew, contacts with venues and festivals built up rapidly – all pointing to the need, not just for a radio show, but a whole new way of putting life back into the jazz world.
So Brian and John joined forces to create UK Jazz Radio – a 24/7 jazz music internet radio station. They also undertook to
deliver on Brian’s aspirations he set out to achieve. And here we are, UK Jazz Now is delivering on those promises! Together they are breathing new life back into the jazz scene so whether you need an artist for an event, a performer looking for representation and bookings or a fan wanting more jazz, you have come to the right place!
