Trustees bring to their work for Jazz Services a range of qualities, but, apart from their love of jazz, they were recruited to the Board originally for their knowledge of the subjects/fields referred to in parentheses:
Christine Allen (record label and promoter)
As Director of Basho Music and also Jazz CDs (www.jazzcds.co.uk), Christine Allen brings to Jazz Services her wide experience of running a label, promoting concerts, managing artists and also the digital distribution of music. She is Chair of the Jazz Services International Advisory Group.
Peter Baillie, Treasurer (retired accountant)
Peter Baillie is a retired accountant whose early career centred mainly in the City where he studied and qualified at the City of London College while working in Ship and Insurance brokering offices in various financial roles and later as Group Accountant for a large chemical importer. For a period of fifteen years Peter owned and ran businesses in DIY and lighting manufacturing employing up to twenty two people. The early nineties recession saw the closure or sale of these businesses and Peter resumed his career in accountancy, becoming financial controller of a recruitment consultancy specialising in the IT industry before retiring in 2006. Between 2000 and 2009 Peter was a Trustee and Treasurer of the Ahoy Centre a charity in Deptford offering sailing to disadvantaged and disabled youngsters. In his roles of Treasurer and Chair of the resources committee for Jazz Services Peter brings to us his professional skills as well as practical business experience.
Brian Blain (journalist)
Winner of the Parliamentary Services to Jazz award in 2010, Blain has been a long time contributor to Jazz UK and promotes a jazz programme at Lauderdale House in Highgate. He previously edited 'Musician' magazine during his stint as Music Promotion Secretary for the Musicians' Union.
Bob Blizzard, Chair (politician/councillor)
Bob Blizzard was elected as a councillor to Waveney District Council in 1987, and became its leader in 1991. He stepped down from the council on his election to Westminster in 1997. As MP for Waveney from 1997 to 2010, Blizzard served on the Environmental Audit Select Committee, Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) successively to Baroness Hayman, the Rt Hon Nick Brown MP and Douglas Alexander. In June 2007, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Whip and following Gordon Brown's October 2008 reshuffle, Blizzard was promoted from an Assistant Whip to a Government Whip otherwise known as a 'Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury'. Blizzard first worked with Jazz Services as Secretary of of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group from 2004 to 2007. Having lost his seat in the election of 2010, Blizzard joined the Board of Jazz Services and became its new Chair in December 2010.
Sue Edwards (artist manager and promoter)
From 1990 – 2005, Sue Edwards was producer of Freestage and Outdoor Music Events at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre in London, programming and coordinating over 4,000 jazz performances, including London Jazz Festival Freestage events and the renowned ‘Commuter Jazz’ Series. She served on the Board of Jazz Services from until relocating to New York in 2006. She has worked closely with Jazz Services on international projects since 2007 and moved back to London in 2010 as an artist manager at the same time rejoining the Board.
James Joseph (music manager)
James Joseph is a music manager, business affairs and producer executive and has been active in the entertainment business since his teens, gaining valuable experience both on and off the bandstand. He quickly realised that his particular strength was in providing companies and artists with the support and advice to help them improve their businesspotential and the effectiveness of their performances. His professionalism and attention to detail made a considerable impression and he quickly established himself as a valuable asset as an artist manager. He has built his reputation on efficiency, thoroughness and fairness, supported by a solid grounding in the legal and financial aspects of the industry. James has been hugely influential in the creation of major label jazz artists from the UK (Jason Rebello, Cleveland Watkiss and his brother, Julian Joseph), something that until the 1990’s, with only a few exceptions, was unprecedented. He has also played a key role in guiding the careers of British saxophonists Steve Williamson, Courtney Pine, as well as global artists including Nina Simone, Cassandra Wilson, Mica Paris and Omar. They have all benefited from James’ expertise, but he has always been selective choosing only to represent the highest quality artists. The advantage is obvious – “quality time and attention can be given!”. James has been working with choreographer Sheron Wray and her company “JazzXchange”, which was resident at the Royal Opera House. Their commissions have included collaborations with Wynton Marsalis and Julian Joseph. James is a consultant for BBC Worldwide and has Co-Produced many television and radio series and shows for the BBC and ITV. He sits on various boards including the PRS Foundation panel, Chair of DNA Culture, Trustee of the World Heartbeat Academy and 51st State Band, Trustee of the Mayors Fund for Yong Musicians and Patron of the Actors of Dionysus. He has also Executive produced many productions for Film and latterly for the Stage and Opera.
Juliet Kelly (musician)
London-based jazz singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and broadcaster. Has released 3 albums (2 of them on own label) of predominantly original music. Also works as own agent and publicist and have organised several UK tours and performances abroad, most often in Greece and Russia. Juliet designed her own web site and has a good online presence on various social networking sites. She writes a blog and has contributed articles to MU magazine and PRS M magazine. Juliet was a radio presenter for BBC Kent on The Jazz Hour and currently present a show on UK Jazz Radio. She hastaught privately and held teaching posts at Lewisham College, City and Islington College and Richmond Adult Community College. She has been a member of the Jazz Services Touring Panel for 4 years and also sit on the APPJAG selection committee and on the panel for the PRSF Jazz Promoters Scheme.
Cathie Rae (musician and artist manager)
Cathie Rae is a singer from one of Scotland's most illustrious jazz families. She is also an experienced educator, working regularly on the Fionna Duncan Jazz Vocal workshops; and is an artist manager through her company, Thick-Skinned Productions. She is Chair of the Jazz Services Touring Panel and is also involved in Jazz Services' International work. In 2010, she became Development Officer for the Scottish Jazz Federation.
Catherine Tackley (education and research)
Catherine Tackley joined the OU as Lecturer in Music in July 2008. She completed her PhD on early jazz in Britain at City University, London in 2001. Catherine held various posts at Leeds College of Music between 2001-2008, culminating in two years as Head of the Centre for Jazz Studies UK. At the OU, Catherine is deputy course team chair and author of several units for A224 ‘Inside Music’, launching in 2011. She is the supervisor of PhD students in the areas of music history, performance practice and jazz and improvised music. Catherine is a co-editor of the Jazz Research Journal (Equinox), a member of the editorial board of Studies in Musical Theatre (Interim Publications) and has served as a specialist reviewer for several journals and publishing companies. In 2008, she led the Education strand at the Jazz Services' British Jazz showcase at the International Association of Jazz Education in Toronto. She is a Trustee of Women in Jazz (Swansea) and is active as a conductor and instrumentalist in both classical and popular styles. She is currently Musical Director of Dr Jazz and the Cheshire Cats Big Band and the North Cheshire Wind Orchestra.
Ivor Widdison (music education and government)
Ivor Widdison has been a lifelong Jazz enthusiast. He was the Administrator of the Council of Local Education Authorities from 1978 – 96 and Education Policy Co-ordinator of the Local Government Association 1996 – 1998. He was also Chair of National Youth Bureau from 1977 – 88; Member of Education & Training Standards Committees of National Youth Agency and Wales Youth Agency 1988 – 99; Trustee of Family Welfare Association (FWA) 1994 -2005; Chair of FWA Education Grants Advisory Panel 1990 to date. He has been a Jazz Services Ltd Trustee 1988 to date; an Executive member of National Music Council (NMC) 1973 to date and of the Music Education Council 2003 to date; and JSL representative on the National Music Education Forum since inception in 2003. Chair of the NMC LEA Music Awards Panel 1976 to date.
Barbara White (musician and MU Executive Committee member)
Barbara White is a professional trumpet player, vocalist, teacher actively involved in trade union work at all levels. She has been a lay trade union activist all her working life. Barbara was elected to the Executive Committee of the Musicians’ Union in 1989 a position she still holds. Barbara has represented her Union as a regular delegate and speaker at TUC Congress and TUC Women’s Conference, which she has also chaired.
Geoff Wright (promoter)
Geoff Wright has been directly involved with Derby Jazz and has led its development since its inception. Until 2002 he had a career in education and education management. In 2002 he became fully committed to jazz and arts development. He is also a jazz journalist and occasional broadcaster. He has a wealth of experience in jazz promotion and education. He has also had a leading role in the development of EMJAZZ.
Dominic McGonigal
Dominic McGonigal is a talented and successful creative industries executive with 25 years of experience in the sector, mostly at Board and director level. He is Chairman of C8 Associates, a creative industries consultancy working with artists, businesses and governments, and holds directorships with Jazz Services and Nacro, as well as other advisory roles, including the Advisory Board of Intellectual Property Magazine.
He was previously a director at PPL, covering a number of roles in government relations, customer service, operations and business strategy. He played a key role in setting up the international service, laying the foundations for the performer merger, getting music licensing exceptions removed and steering the Copyright Term Directive through the EU. He was also Vice Chairman of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (chairing its Operations Board), Chairman of the Creative Coalition Steering Board, a founding member of CBI IP Committee and a member of UK Music Board.
Before joining PPL, he was Membership & Media Director at the MCPS-PRS Alliance and while there, he was seconded on behalf of the music industry to the UK Government as Music Industry Adviser to Culture Secretary Chris Smith when he authored the first new technology report on a sector, Consumers Call The Tune. He has also managed events, set up an opera company, held marketing roles and founded a jazz festival.
A musician by training, including singing in King’s College Chapel Choir, Dominic has an enviable track record developing and leading high performing organisations, in the private and public sector. His strong general management capabilities include inspiring change and driving productivity improvements, growing international business, licensing, negotiation, marketing, communication, lobbying, copyright and customer service.