Limerick Jazz

Limerick Jazz Society Limerick Jazz Workshop Limerick Jazz Festival

September 2012

Contents

•  Limerick Jazz Overview •  Limerick Jazz Society •  Limerick Jazz Workshop •  Limerick Jazz Festival •  Impact on Local Arts and Arts Education •  Wider Community Impact •  The Future •  Limerick Jazz Society Promotions 2005-2012 •  Limerick Jazz Society Committee

Limerick Jazz Overview •  Limerick Jazz Society

–  Most active Irish promoter of quality jazz performances outside Dublin –  Established 1982

•  Limerick Jazz Workshop –  Only regular jazz workshop in Ireland outside Dublin –  Established 2007 by members of LJS committee

•  Limerick Jazz Festival –  Inaugural festival celebrates 30th anniversary of Limerick Jazz Society

Limerick Jazz Society

•  Consistently high standard of programming consistent with level of international festivals –  See appendix for details of all seasons 2005-2012

•  Programming arranged from multiple sources to get maximum value for available budget –  National touring acts in collaboration with IMC, Music Network and Note e.g.

Manu Katche, Chris Potter, John Abercrombie, Kevin Brady/Bill Carrothers –  Irish groups with international reputations e.g.

Metier, Togetherness, Phil Ware Trio, Organics, Yurodny –  Irish/ International artists in collaboration with house trio e.g.

Hugh Buckley, Guy Barker, Tony Miceli

“The programming was the best I have probably seen in Ireland on a consistent basis and the broad-brush brief you worked to made your club unique. The other aspects which I greatly admired about your work was the opportunity for developing players to connect with the guests you brought in thus creating a spur not just for the next generation of fans, but for the next generation of players.” Linley Hamilton – Musician and presenter of After Midnight on BBC Radio Ulster

Limerick Jazz Society Strategy

•  Maximum number of performances for given level of grant support and state of economy

–  Benign conditions 2006-2008 allowed significant increase in activity

•  Minimize costs –  All-volunteer committee –  Significant local and national media

coverage (press and radio) for minimal outlay

–  Online promotion through www.limerickjazz.com , Facebook, Twitter and 500+ regular email shot

•  Maximize local jazz audience –  Promotional infrastructure made

available to MBNA Festival, UCH, UL and Speakeasy Jazz 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Concerts

Average Attendance

Limerick Jazz Workshop

•  Commenced activities in autumn 2007 with support from UCH who provided venue at UCH/LIT Millennium Theatre at cost

•  12-14 week spring and autumn semesters including one or more public performances •  Teaching environment is ensemble based, plus a parallel specialist singers class •  Tutors are experienced local musicians •  Typical student numbers in mid-20s with three ensembles •  Very diverse student body

–  Over 60 participants to date of at least 12 different nationalities –  Largely college age and upwards –  Wide variety of musical backgrounds including traditional and classical

•  Long term commitment over one or more semesters allows significant student achievement while also having fun

–  Three participants accepted for jazz degree at Newpark Music Centre, Dublin –  Andreas Varady attended 2009-2011

Limerick Jazz Workshop Strategy

•  Initial activities substantially expanded –  Regular jam sessions (autumn 2009) –  Junior workshop (spring 2010) –  Beginners class (autumn 2010)

•  Adult workshops at Learning Hub Limerick since autumn 2010 •  Active promotion of junior workshop planned for winter 2012/2013 involving demonstration

workshops in local secondary schools (three demonstration workshops performed late 2011) •  Strong synergies with Limerick Jazz Society activities

–  Students perform at Dolans twice a year –  Students are a significant subset of Limerick Jazz Society audience

“Limerick Jazz Society …, are not only doing a great service in keeping the music alive in this part of the country, but are also doing Trojan work in organizing workshops for kids and giving them an opportunity to have access to proper instrumental training as well as introducing them to jazz.” Ronan Guilfoyle

Limerick Jazz Festival

•  Limerick Jazz Society will mark its 30th anniversary by staging the inaugural Limerick Jazz Festival in September 2012

•  Limerick Jazz Festival will be marketed to national jazz audience and local live music audience

–  Headline acts will be festival exclusives to attract national jazz audience

•  Numerous venues will be used across Limerick city and local impact will be increased by build-up events

•  Timing of festival addresses gaps in national jazz festival and local event calendars –  Ireland has relatively few jazz festivals compared to e.g. Scotland

•  Significant progress to date –  Key performers and venues booked –  Grant support received from Arts Council and Shannon Development –  Agreement with RTE Lyric FM to be national radio partner

Limerick Jazz Festival Program

•  Headline acts for Saturday are high quality and exclusive to Limerick Jazz Festival

•  Main programme will be supplemented by other free performances over festival weekend –  Limerick Jazz Workshop ensembles street performances and in Hunt Museum –  New Orleans marching band at various city locations –  Blue Monk Quartet at Limerick City Art Gallery

•  A number of build-up events are planned to develop local audience awareness –  All jazz Culture Night at Belltable Arts Centre weekend prior to festival –  Photography exhibition (exhibits from previous Limerick Jazz Society concerts) –  Outreach events in co-operation with Limerick Learning Hub

Performer Venue Timing Capacity Pricing

Friday 28 September

Black Magic Big Band Pery’s Hotel 8.00 – 10.00 200 €15

Various (Jazz Trail) City Hotels/Pubs 10.00 till late n/m Free

Saturday 29 September

Joe Locke / Geoff Keezer Group Lime Tree Theatre 8.00 – 10.00 500 €30

Lianne Carroll Trio Dolans Warehouse 10.30 till late 250 €20

Sunday 30 September

Crisis Point (Irish ensemble featuring new compositions)

Belltable Arts Centre

3.00 – 5.00 220 €15

Target Audience

•  National jazz audience –  Spread over all age groups –  Above average income –  Above average education

•  Local live music audience –  Younger (20-35) and interested in a combination of music and a good night out –  Program sequencing and spread of locations designed to provide plenty of opportunities to

engage

Marketing Strategy – Traditional Media •  Agreement for Lyric FM to be national radio partner

–  Daily 30 second promotion slots in run-up to Festival –  Competition –  Broadcast of Locke/Keezer concert

•  Paid local radio and print advertising (Limerick Leader, Limerick Post, Live 95 FM)

•  5,000 festival flyers to be distributed across mid-west region

•  Flags on city centre bridges

•  Merchandising strategy based on Limerick Jazz Society heritage –  Souvenir programme featuring photographic exhibition highlights –  Limerick Sessions CD

•  Leverage existing Limerick Jazz profile and support from Limerick Communications Office to

generate editorial coverage –  July 2nd announcement generated significant national and local coverage (Irish Independent,

Lyric, Leader, Post, Live 95 FM)

Marketing Strategy – Digital •  Festival website set up - www.limerickjazzfestival.com

•  Numerous third party websites will be used as promotional channels –  Tourism –  Partner hotels –  Cultural

•  Limerick Jazz email list (500+)

•  Facebook and Twitter enabled

•  Two UL co-op students are working full-time on digital marketing under the supervision of Dr. Luigina Ciolfi (Festival committee member)

Impact on Local Arts and Arts Education

•  Limerick Jazz activities help create positive environment for other jazz related activity in city

•  MBNA Festival (Wayne Shorter), UCH (Bela Fleck) and UL (Bobby McFerrin) have all put on well-supported concerts in recent years by major performers we can’t afford (!)

•  Other promoters such as Speakeasy Jazz have staged well-attended gigs featuring local musicians and targeting a young, dance-oriented audience

•  Educational activities in addition to Limerick Jazz Workshop –  Tony Miceli, a noted Philadelphian vibes player, has hosted a small-scale summer school

annually from 2008 which has attracted students from Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands –  Regular short summer courses on jazz theory by teachers from Limerick Jazz Workshop

•  Limerick Jazz Society artist payments are c. €10,000 p.a., well in excess of Arts Council funding

•  Limerick Jazz Workshop teacher payments are c. €16,000 p.a., with shortfall privately funded

Wider Community Impact

•  Limerick Jazz Society co-promotions with Riverfest and Unfringed festivals

•  Limerick Jazz Society benefit for Rape Crisis Centre in 2006 raised €17,000

•  December 2009 performance by Limerick Jazz Workshop teachers and students at Limerick Youth Service Conference at Thomond Park

•  Other Limerick Jazz Workshop performances at Africa Day and UCH

•  Potential future developments –  Outreach work with Learning Hub Limerick –  May Music in the Park (Limerick City Council) –  Love Live Music (Music Network) –  Limerick St. Patrick’s Day Festival

The Future

•  Jazz in Limerick has been characterized by a focus on regular activity rather than one-offs –  No priority to compete with major existing festivals and summer schools

•  Limerick Jazz Festival to develop distinct profile –  Co-ordinated offering of a range of events (film season etc.) –  Community involvement (street performances, outreach) –  Showcase for Irish composers

•  Develop more big-band activity –  Address lack of local big band residency –  Galway shows the way with the Black Magic and West Coast Big Bands and the Black Magic

Junior Big Band

•  Develop jazz presence in third level education –  Jazz specialists are already employed at third level in Dublin, Belfast and Cork –  A number of Limerick Jazz Workshop participants are UL and LIT students –  Encourage UL students to consider jazz-related electives

LJS Promotions 2005-2011

LJS 2012 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Louis Stewart Quartet •  Norma Winstone and Tommy Halferty / Kevin Brady

Trio feat. Bill Carrothers •  Pete Robbins Transatlantic Quartet •  Emilie Conway •  Bob Whelan and Limerick Jazz Quartet •  Duo Elegance •  Tony Miceli Quartet

Autumn Season

•  Joshua Redman Trio (in association with the Belltable Arts Centre)

•  Limerick Jazz Festival –  Black Magic Big Band –  Joe Locke / Geoff Keezer Group –  Liane Carroll Trio –  Crisis Point

•  Mick Coady’s Synergy feat. David Binney •  Kenny Werner / Ronan Guilfoyle

LJS 2011 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Nigel Mooney Quartet •  David Lyttle/Torsten Goods (Germany)/Andreas

Varady •  Firm Routes •  Alex Mathias Quartet •  Darren Sigesmund (Canada) and Strands II •  Peter King Quartet •  Tony Miceli Quartet

Autumn Season

•  Togetherness •  Limerick Jazz Quartet •  David Liebman/Ronan Guilfoyle/Jossi Lehtonen •  Alex Mathias/Jake Hertzog Quartet •  Palooka •  ReDiviDeR •  Nigel Mooney’s Hip Operation & Special Guest

LJS 2010 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Mark McKnight •  Julian Arguelles/Ronan Guilfoyle/Jim Black •  David Lyttle/Terrell Stafford •  Pete Robbins Transatlantic Quartet •  Linley Hamilton/Derek O’Connor/House Trio

Autumn Season

•  Cormac O’Brien’s Rhythm Method •  Kit Downes Trio •  Francesco Turrusi •  Cormac Kenevey •  Greg Felton/Isa Wiss •  Mark McKnight/Seamus Blake •  Dublin City Jazz Orchestra •  Clare Horgan/House Trio

LJS 2009 Promotions

Spring Season

•  John Moriarty •  Gyan Riley •  Hugh Buckley •  Togetherness •  David Lyttle/Soweto Kinch •  Kevin Brady/Bill Carrothers

Autumn Season

•  European Union Quartet •  Claire Daly •  David Lyttle/Tim Warfield •  Phil Ware Trio •  Yurodny •  Metier •  Dorota Konczewska

LJS 2008 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Ferenc Snetberger •  Phil Ware Trio •  Protea •  Dave Allen •  Lunfardia •  Nina Project •  Richie Buckley / Myles Drennan •  John Donegan •  Carroll / Rigby Quartet •  Equinox •  Quintessential •  Tom Arthurs/ Fuzzy Logic

Autumn Season*

•  Tony Miceli •  Bryan Corbett •  Krazy •  John Abercrombie •  Mark McKnight •  Elio Villafranca •  Organics •  Manu Katche •  Guy Barker •  Ameiresco

* Two cancellations for Autumn Season due to unforeseen events

LJS 2007 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Chris Potter •  Bill Carrothers •  Ingrid Laubrock •  Nick Roth •  Microclimate •  Neil Cowley •  Marco Kegel •  Kate McGarry •  David Lyttle •  Polly Gibbons •  Havana Son •  Jan Lesley •  Trot a Mouse

Autumn Season

•  Jamie Oehlers/ Paul Williamson •  EM •  Dorothy Murphy •  Thomasz Stanko •  Balls of Fire Trio •  Bester Quartet •  Paul Williamson •  Nigel Mooney •  Derek O’Connor

LJS 2006 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Louis Stewart •  White Rocket •  Linley Hamilton •  Melissa Stott •  Joel Harrison •  Dorothy Murphy •  Cortisol •  Vijay Iyer •  Steve Bernstein •  Mike Nielsen •  Nigel Mooney

Autumn Season

•  Duncan Eagles •  Marc Copland •  Steve Hanks •  Nils Wogram •  Zrazy •  Nic Roth •  Cormac Kenevy •  Organics

LJS 2005 Promotions

Spring Season

•  Brendan Doyle •  Danni Healy •  Brian Dunning •  Tommy Halferty •  Karl Rooney •  Jim Doherty •  Honor Heffernan •  Maria Tecce

Autumn Season

•  Susannah de Wrixon •  Susannah and the Magical Orchestra •  Trio Resistances •  Grainne Brookfield •  Kirk Lightsey •  Honor Heffernan •  Michael Buckley •  Phil Ware

Limerick Jazz Society Committee

•  John Daly, Chairperson –  Leading local jazz musician and teacher –  Founding member of LJS

•  Dr Paul O’Sullivan –  Medical doctor –  Responsible for email shots –  Founding member of LJS

•  Robert Hernan

–  Enterprise Ireland scientist –  Treasurer –  Committee member since 2003

•  Edward Hansom –  Business consultant –  PRO/ administrator of Limerick Jazz Workshop –  Committee member since 2008

•  Dr Luigina Ciolfi –  Dept. Of Computer Science and Information

Systems, UL –  Online marketing strategy for Limerick Jazz

Festival –  Joined committee 2012

•  Gerry Kirby –  Coordinator, Umbrella Project –  Venue, council, partner hotel relations –  Joined committee 2012