Wakefield Jazz

Wakefield Jazz and its Work

Wakefield Jazz is a not-for-profit organisation run by a team of 10 volunteers.

We provide an intimate club atmosphere in a room with a capacity less than 200. Musicians and audience alike regularly comment on the special ambiance which develops during concerts - quite unlike the sterile distant relationship with a theatre audience.

Hot food is available on the club premises before every gig and is popular with both the significant fraction of the audience who come early to get a good seat and with the musicians we feed this way.


Programming Policy

The aim is to provide the best National and International artists possible within the budget to the people of Wakefield and surrounding districts. In addition to established artistst we aim to introduce bands / artists of quality emerging on the London or Scottish scenes.
The commonest presentations are modern quartets to sextets. Our budget decides the number of musicians invited as well as their 'status' in the business.
We fill a unique niche in the region providing regular opportunities to see the work of stars of the mainstream to modern jazz scene and a varied programme of accessible music not available at commercial venues.

We also have a policy of encouraging young starters on the jazz scene giving occasional, though regular, opportunities to youngsters to do a short support set before the main band. This has sometimes led to an opportunity to sit in with the band later in the evening

We present gigs at 8:30 pm on most Fridays through the year with short breaks at Christmas and Easter with a longer break in the summer.