How Leeds Jazz Festival hopes to shine a spotlight on city's music scene

Aisling is one of the coordinators of the inaugural Leeds Jazz Festival taking place this June and launched by not-for-profit organisation Music:Leeds.

“Music:Leeds exists to support and develop the music scene in Leeds and it recognises that not enough of a spotlight is being shone on jazz,” Aisling continues. “A new festival to raise the musical profile of the city has a positive knock-on effect on the wider sector and city, and builds into the year of culture with Leeds 2023.”

Leeds has a rich history in jazz music from as early as the 1940s, when Holbeck-born Ivy Benson led an all-female swing band. Then there was the emergence of the Yorkshire Jazz Band in the 1950s, who would often play in the city.

Their tuba player Bob Barclay ran the renowned venue Studio 20 on Upper Briggate that became popular with touring jazz musicians like Tubby Hayes. Decades later the venue is open under a new name, Sela Bar, which still hosts live jazz music.

The city boats one of the oldest jazz courses in Europe too at the Leeds Conservatoire. Set up by bassist Peter Ind in 1966, it still attracts musicians from all over the world to study.

But there is “a bit of disconnect” in the scene, Aisling says. “Jazz is so vast, and divisive, and people are really passionate about what it is and its meaning to them. I think that the lines have become so much more blurred over the last number of years and that is only a positive thing, and this festival wants to celebrate jazz in all its shapes and forms.”

Conversations were had with promoters and organisations like JazzLeeds, Jazz North, Super Friendz and Launchpad and the festival aims to unite the different musicians, venues and audiences together.

One of those who has been heavily involved in the promotion of the scene since the 80s is salsa, Latin, jazz DJ and live music promoter Lubi Jovanovic.

“At that time, jazz exploded in Leeds with the formation of the legendary promoters group Leeds Jazz alongside my own jazz dance crew the DIG! Family. We had one of the best free jazz clubs in the UK in Leeds, the legendary Termite Club. The 1980s were the building blocks of what we have today.”

Some of the shows he is curating for the festival include the recent cohort of local musicians coming through and breaking out beyond Leeds.

Ben Powling, the saxophonist with local frenetic jazz punkers Vipertime, is involved in festival projects too. He hopes the events will succeed in bringing overdue recognition to the city’s influence on jazz music.

“The current UK jazz revival is amazing for music, but so much media attention is focused on London. I love a lot of the bands from that revival, but it’s about time that the amazing music coming out of the North was recognised.

“Leeds has been essential in the formation of Vipertime and my own career. The common thread has been the real DIY, punk attitude and sense of altruism. People have always been running their own nights, setting up labels and promoting gigs to help further the scene.”

Lubi remarks what the festival could do for the city. “The last four years have really blown up for Leeds jazz. Our bands are now played regularly on BBC 6 Music and Jazz FM....I hope this new festival is successful this year and we can grow it over the years the way the Manchester and Marsden jazz festivals grew. It’s important to have a unified jazz festival in Leeds that involves everyone in the scene.”

The Leeds Jazz Festival, supported by Split Design, arts@leeds, Leeds City Council, Leeds BID and Leeds 2023, will run from June 1 to 12. For the full programme of events, visit www.leedsjazzfestival.com