In 1995, a group of around 40 of Manchester’s jazz musicians and activists gathered at the old office of the Musicians’ Union in Canal Street. Filled with enthusiasm and a desire to establish a thriving jazz scene, they questioned why a city of the scale of Manchester couldn’t have a festival, or club dedicated solely to jazz? Could they be the ones to make it happen?…
From this, a few individuals agreed to research some possibilities for action. Saxophonists Matt Nickson and Phred Farret – who went on to found what we now know as Matt & Phred’s – were there, as was Steve Mead, mjf’s current Artistic Director, and bassist Nikki Dupuy, who went on to stage a one-off, one-day jazz festival.
Discussions with Mike Butler – jazz journalist for City Life, Manchester’s what’s on magazine – signposted mjf to a brewery looking to launch a new beer in Manchester and sponsor a music event. We also discovered the National Music Festival, an umbrella campaign across the UK raising awareness of grass-roots music-making activities. With admin support from the staff in the MU office, a supportive bar manager at Dukes 92, and existing links with North West Arts Board, mjf rallied a group of dedicated enthusiasts, (informally the short-lived Jazz Musicians’ Forum), along with an army of volunteers, and secured the budget for a one-day event in Castlefield on (co-incidentally the same day as Ella Fitzgerald died) Saturday 15 June 1996.
However, this day entered Manchester’s history books for the wrong reason when, as the first band took to the stage to perform to 3,000 people assembled on this hot summer day, the Manchester bomb exploded, triggering the evacuation of the city centre and the cancelling of the event.
Undeterred, and facilitated by a wisely-undertaken insurance payout, the event was re-staged, as originally planned, for 31 August. The day was a roaring success, featuring John Ellis’ Big Band and even Steve Mead’s own band “Whirl”. The Manchester School of Samba had crowds up and dancing, plus the Granada Studio Fireworks were very wisely timed (and positioned), to bring the celebrations to a close.
It’s fair to say that from this day in August, the festival has grown considerably into the 10 day event we know mjf to be. A festival working across multiple venues in Manchester and hosting a range of genre-pushing, contemporary, homegrown and international artists. But above all, mjf has stayed true to its ethos: a place for artists to find themselves, and for audiences to lose themselves.
With deepest thanks and acknowledgement for the hard work and commitment over the years of all staff – current and previous – who have helped to bring the music of mjf’s artists to audiences near and far, and to make mjf what it is today.
Furthermore, as a not-for-profit charity, it is with deep thanks to the ongoing support received from our audiences, sponsors and partners that we are able to continue to bring the very best of our work to life. With your help, mjf can commission more ambitious projects, support more musicians across the North through our talent development programmes and create more performance opportunities on the festival stage and beyond for new and emerging artists. Click to learn just some of the ways you can support our organisation!