Guide for New Promoters  download pdf

“Heard about the guy who made a million out of jazz? He started with £2 million” quipped the late Ronnie Scott. Everyone agrees: only get into the business of promoting jazz if your heart's really in it. Be ready for many setbacks and knock-backs. If you decide to put on a gig then don’t waver – go for it – pull out all the stops and it will work.You’ll find that it’s a case of swings and roundabouts: some events you make on, some you lose on. Either way, most of the time you’ll still need to be working for nothing yourself!

Even if you choose your artist and venue very carefully,don't be surprised if you end up simply breaking even or making a slight loss, although careful planning should reduce this to a minimum. But after all the effort and toil, you’ll hear some great music. Maybe some of your favourite bands, maybe some you’ve always wanted to hear. You’ll meet musicians and get an insight into their music and how they work. And it can be very satisfying and rewarding to see others – your audience - enjoying wonderful music and wanting more of the same.

Joan Morrell and Dan Somogyi show you how to start life as a jazz promoter and make a success of it.  If you would like a paper copy of this, click on Free Guides (left).