Early jazz and racial tensions

Jazz arrived in Britain in 1919. But with it came rising racism and resentment from white British workers, despite the admiration for Black American musicians who were seen as the leaders of jazz culture.  

During the 1920s, as immigration policies became more severe, Black American musicians found it increasingly harder to get work permits. This led to a shift from theatre jobs to the underground jazz scene, particularly in London’s West End nightclubs. 

All-Black jazz bands of the 1930s 

By the mid-1930s, musicians from the West Indies were enriching the British jazz scene. One key figure was Leslie Thompson, a Jamaican trumpeter who made a name for himself in London’s West End theatre orchestras. Inspired by the pan-Africanist ideas of Marcus Garvey, Thompson formed an all-Black dance band, marking a significant shift in both the sound and style of British jazz. 

Another important figure was Ken “Snakehips” Johnson, who saw potential for all-Black jazz bands to succeed beyond the United States. After creating a band in the Caribbean, Johnson moved to Britain in 1936 and teamed up with Thompson to create an all-Black jazz orchestra.  

The Johnson Orchestra, made up of musicians from the Caribbean, West Africa, and the UK, became a sensation, performing on the BBC and in prestigious venues like Café de Paris. Despite internal conflicts, Johnson’s orchestra thrived, showcasing the talent of Black British musicians. 

Post-war evolution of British jazz

The influx of Caribbean immigrants following World War II—known as the Windrush generation—further transformed the British jazz scene. Musicians such as Jamaican saxophonist Joe Harriott, guitarist Ernest Ranglin, and trumpeter Shake Keane brought new energy to British jazz. Harriott revolutionised the genre with his experimental albums in the early 1960s. He collaborated with Indian composer John Mayer to create Indo-jazz, a groundbreaking fusion of jazz and Indian ragas. 

Around the same time, Trinidadian singer and saxophonist Mona Baptiste emerged as a star, integrating Caribbean sounds into British jazz. Her hit single ‘Calypso Blues’, released on Melodisc Records, highlighted the immigrant experience and contributed to the growing influence of Caribbean music in Britain. 

Finding safety and belonging

Black musicians in post-war Britain faced segregation and exclusion in public spaces, reinforced by informal “colour bars”. This is where Black people were often denied entry to bars, pubs, and restaurants. Jazz clubs across London soon became havens. 

The British jazz scene also provided a home for South African musicians fleeing apartheid in the 1960s. Bands like The Blue Notes – made up of South African exiles – blended native sounds with jazz, creating a politically charged form of avant-garde jazz.  

Jazz clubs became spaces where shared lived experience, race, and identity were explored through music. 

1980s sees a jazz renaissance 

By the 1980s, a new wave of Black British jazz musicians began to emerge, led by saxophonist Courtney Pine. In 1984, Pine founded Abizi Jazz Arts to encourage young Black musicians to get involved in jazz. A few years later, he established the Jazz Warriors, a large orchestra that fused jazz with other genres, such as reggae and funk. The Jazz Warriors symbolised a new era for Black British music, reflecting the influence of the Windrush generation. 

Their only album, Out of Many, One People, released in 1987, experimented with different musical styles and captured both the confrontational and commemorative aspects of Black British identity. The Jazz Warriors spearheaded a jazz renaissance in Britain, ensuring that Black British musicians remained at the forefront of the scene. 

This Black History Month is all about reclaiming narratives, and we thought it fit to dive into the story of Black British jazz. We took influence from The British Library’s recent exhibition ‘Beyond the Bassline’, where our colleagues learnt about the lesser-known pioneers of Black music in Britain. 

Words by Jess Kovalets, Fundraising and Communications Coordinator

“Maybe that’s how I can straddle the line with music and art in a way that I can carve my own thing.”

Who is GAUNT?

GAUNT explores the dense worlds of visual art and experimental music in his creative productions by merging both worlds. Jack Warne, the person behind the alias and music of GAUNT, expresses how this form of multidisciplinary artistry was a natural way for him to build his identity as a musician. “It was a model, a framework that I felt really kind of harnesses a lot of my interests and passions – combining music with art in a capacity that really means something”.

Blind at The Age of Four

His latest album Blind at The Age of Four was released in summer 2023 and explores his own lived experiences with Thiel-Behnke Corneal Dystrophy (TBCD), an eye condition that can cause temporary blindness in an episodic manner. During Jack’s studies, he developed the idea of Blind at The Age of Four five years prior to his showcase at the ICA.

He expressed that the production of this record allowed him to shed a lot of weight that he was carrying while navigating the music industry and the art world. In this period, he connected with his manager Jim who already had a deep interest in the world of multidisciplinary art hence they were able to work together naturally whilst giving Jack the space to grow and develop as a visual artist and music creator.

Securing funding for the showcase

The showcase for Blind at The Age of Four was funded by Arts Council England, with the help of his management team at 3345 who were able to secure the funding for this project. Jack speaks briefly on having a management team behind his artistic practice and how this has allowed him to develop his art in a holistic way. “I luckily found a great dynamic where I can still freely make music, but I don’t necessarily have that pressure of having to think about the ‘algorithm’. That’s just not intuitive for a creative to think about. But obviously labels, managers, agents – they all do that, and I think for me it’s really unhealthy to think in that way”.

His approach for his ICA showcase for Blind at The Age of Four encompasses his encounter as someone with TBCD by performing in complete darkness. He worked in close collaboration with D/ARTS and Collective Agency to develop an inclusive gallery experience. The exhibition reimagines the norms of how we interpret and interact with visual art. It incorporated co-created audio description, physical wayfinding features and AR experiences developed with visually impaired and sighted collaborators. GAUNT redefines what it means to create an inclusive space.

“Funnily enough, the week of my album campaign I had an episode, and I hadn’t had one in like six months, which is quite a long time. And literally the album was all about this experience, so it’s really odd – more than a coincidence.”

What’s next for GAUNT?

Southbank Centre – our first platinum Live Events Access Charter members – has announced that in 2025 they will be launching a large-scale experimental audio project Concrete Voids. It will feature a series of concerts that allow artists to flesh out their artistic practices with a custom built-in system of loudspeakers transforming Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium into a three-dimensional instrument. GAUNT will be one of the featured artists presenting a brand-new audio-visual performance, Augmenting the Void -ULCY, in October 2025. Included in this performance will be four large-scale paintings by Jack Warne.

Get tickets for Concrete Voids here.

The pledge supports local events, venues, festivals, and organisations to make accessibility a focus of their work in the local community. By signing up, organisations in Medway are pledging to be transparent about their accessibility practices. They must show their commitment to addressing the barriers faced by disabled audiences, artists, performers, volunteers and professionals.  

The pledge consists of a checklist as well as toolkits for events and venues to help creative sector organisations develop accessibility work in Medway and allow disabled people to make informed decisions on what events suit their access requirements. 

“Ensuring that Deaf and disabled voices were at the heart of the pledge and toolkits was key to creating impactful work. Overall, by being transparent about your accessibility, you are giving control back to Deaf and disabled people and empowering them to engage with the arts in ways that are accessible to them. This is what we hope the Creative Medway Events and Venues Accessibility Pledge will do in Medway.”

Bee Grzegorzek, Inclusive Communities Manager 

For us at Attitude is Everything to better understand these challenges and work towards improving accessibility in the live music and events industry, we have launched a survey aimed at capturing the experiences of disabled people who attend music venues and festivals, whilst managing their access requirements by taking in essential items. These may be food and/or drink, medical equipment or medication.

The government’s Disability Unit’s UK Disability Survey in 2021 revealed that 1 in 3 disabled people struggle to access public spaces, often leading to isolation and loneliness— this can often be due to persistent access barriers set up in public spaces.

Whether this has been an issue with security checks, or a lack of appropriate accommodations, we want to hear directly from those who have faced this barrier.

By collecting this data, we aim to raise awareness around access barriers that otherwise may be overlooked and delve deeper into the nuances of disabled people’s lived experiences.

This survey has now closed, and we’re hoping to release more information on the findings in the next coming months.

Today Arts Council England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland have announced that Attitude is Everything will be the standards supplier for All In, the UK wide access scheme for creativity and culture. 

All In aims to remove the barriers faced by D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people when booking and attending creative and cultural events. We will be responsible for developing a set of sector-wide standards for theatres, galleries, museums, libraries and other creative organisations that sign up for the scheme. 

These new standards will complement existing best practice, guidelines and frameworks, including our own UK government endorsed Live Events Access Charter, and help provide consistent high-quality experiences for disabled audiences. 

Attitude is Everything will initially focus on four areas of work:  

• Improving the built environment in and around venues including removing physical obstacles and providing better access 

• Making digital communication with disabled audiences more accessible, usable and inclusive 

• Working with customer services so that venues and events give a warm welcome to everyone 

• Building in access to commissions, events and programming at the ideas, budgeting and development stages 

Accessible by Design will be working with Attitude is Everything to support the creation of the Digital Communication standards, lending their extensive experience in helping arts and cultural organisations make their digital content more accessible for everyone to the project.

This announcement is the latest stage in the development of All In which builds on the success of Hynt – Wales’ access scheme for theatres and arts centres – and the findings of their impact report, which showed that more than three quarters of Hynt card holders felt being part of the scheme improved their access to culture. 

All In is set to pilot in autumn 2024, ahead of a national roll-out in 2025. 

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England; Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland; Dafydd Rhys, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Wales say: “We are so pleased to welcome Attitude is Everything on board as the standards supplier for All In to help us achieve a consistent experience across the sector for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people when visiting venues in the UK. It will be a continuation of their brilliant work in championing industry access standards in music and live events spaces.”  

Andrew Miller MBE, UK Arts Access Champion for All In said: “By introducing the UK’s first accessibility standards for creativity and culture, All In will provide the sector with a baseline in excellence for meeting the needs of disabled people, covering everything from content warnings to appropriate language and expectations around physical access. Through our standards, we are aiming for a consistency of quality in access and customer service that I believe will be a game changer for both disabled audiences and the cultural sector. Attitude is Everything have significant credibility in this field, and I welcome their experience at this crucial stage of development for All In.” 

Celia Makin-Bell, Managing Director, Attitude is Everything: “Attitude is Everything is delighted to have been asked to develop the standards and accreditation for the UK-wide All In scheme. This is a truly groundbreaking project to support the creative and cultural sector to provide accessible experiences that disabled consumers can trust and enjoy free of disabling barriers. Attitude is Everything has been supporting the UK’s music and live events sector since 2000 as a disabled-led charity, so this project enables us to lend our supportive ethos, solutions-based approach and wealth of experience to the wider sector. We look forward to working with the four nation Arts Councils, industry stakeholders and disabled people over the year ahead on this exciting scheme.” 

Collaborating on the No Climate Action Without Us toolkit 

Running alongside our internal programme, we had an extensive external programme to support the music and live events sectors to understand how climate change solutions can be accessible as well.  Over the summer and autumn of 2023, Julie’s Bicycle hosted a public survey that asked the opinions of disabled audiences, artists and professionals on the accessibility of environmentally friendly solutions at venues, festivals and events.  A Greener Future created three case studies of UK festivals – Shambala, Fast Forward and Green Man – focusing on their experiences of incorporating accessibility into climate change practices.  Following the evidence-collecting, Julie’s Bicycle then hosted two roundtables which brought the disabled community and industry colleagues together to discuss the findings and potential solutions. 

Staying true to the heart of Attitude is Everything’s way of working, which highlights barriers but at the same time gives practical solutions, we created a resource guide from the evidence collected.  The ‘No Climate Action Without Us – how to include disabled people in live event sustainability’ toolkit was created in collaboration with Julie’s Bicycle, and A Greener Future.  As well as revealing the key barriers that disabled people experience within initiatives that tackle sustainability, the toolkit outlined practical ways in which venues, events and festivals can implement accessible solutions in climate change. 

We found out that 68% of respondents consider sustainability when choosing events to attend, but 46% of them feel excluded from participating in environmental efforts and festivals and events. 34% felt that climate change solutions didn’t meet their access needs and 46% felt unable to participate in festivals and events that align with their climate values.   

However, a piece of key evidence that we didn’t expect to receive was that the language and terminology of climate change was jargonistic and idealistic, which makes it hard to understand.  In comparison, access information is always straightforward and practical.  For many of our survey respondents, pre-event communication forms a key part of their decision whether to attend. Communication during the event also influences the ability of people to engage in sustainability initiatives. Knowing what to expect, in clear language, and with well trained staff, contributes to the feeling of being welcome in a space. However, for many people, this kind of practical, straightforward language is missing from sustainability information.  In response to this, we created the toolkit in several different formats such as Easy Read, BSL video and audio. 

Because we wanted the toolkit to be in constant use, we created three pledges for the music and live events sector to sign up to: to use the toolkit and give us feedback; to report back how they’ve made sustainability solutions accessible; to work with disabled people, industry colleagues and suppliers to design, create and  increase the supply of accessible, sustainable products and facilities. 

No Climate Action Without Us was launched in February 2023, at A Greener Future’s GEI16 (Green Events and Innovations) Conference – the perfect place for the toolkit’s launch with over 300 delegates from across the world.   

In the first three months after the toolkit’s publication, Julie’s Bicycle had 335 downloads, A Greener Future had 635 views and 20 downloads, and Attitude is Everything had 302 downloads, 970 webpage views & two views on the BSL video version.  

Working in the environmental sector brought us other new partners, including Earth Percent, LIVE Green, Better Stop It and Vision 2025.  For the first time we had a section on access and sustainability in Better Stop It’s More Than Music Report, and this October 2024, we’re presenting at Vision 2025’s Sustainable Event Summit.  

The music and live events sectors have been vocal in their support. But embracing the toolkit means taking practical actions. Difficult conversations are inevitable, and although challenging, give us all scope to embark on this learning journey together. 

The future

After giving the sector the spring and summer to use the No Climate Action Without Us toolkit, 2024/2025 will see us revise its content based on external feedback, including new ideas and solutions as well as additional case studies. These recommendations will be embedded into our revised Live Events Access Charter as this will be a key part of influencing sector change. 

In autumn 2024, we will host two roundtables for disabled emerging and established artists around what they need to become more environmentally conscious while creating music and touring. 

Internally, we’ll work on creating a pathway to Net Zero by 2030 and how we can protect and encourage biodiversity.  

We’re also working with leadership coach and consultant Sarah Pickthall to create space on website for this environmental work, featuring three internal case studies from global organisations working on combining access and climate change solutions. This, alongside version two of No Climate Action Without Us, will go live in February 2025. 

Can you support us?

We can’t do our environmental activities without your feedback and support. There two ways in which you can help us:

If you’re a Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent music creative, please complete our public survey by Monday 16th September.

If you’re involved in running a venue, festival or event, feedback on the No Climate Action Without Us toolkit by Monday 23^rd September.

The overlooked impact of climate measures on disabled communities 

During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the live events sector took a massive hit. It effectively shut down and didn’t fully re-open until July 2021, meaning I was unable to work. I was also diagnosed with breast cancer which has now been successfully treated – I’m now on a preventative treatment programme. During the most intensive part of my treatment, my garden became my sanctuary. I noticed that nature was taking over London once more, the skies clear from vapour trails, and London’s polluted air became easier to breathe in. 

However, at the same time, I noticed that climate change measures were implemented without extensive consultation on the impact of communities, especially disabled people.  

According to the World Health Organisation, there are more than one billion disabled people in the world. They’re one of the communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change.  According to Disability Rights UK ‘Disabled people are twice as likely as any other group to die in disasters’. ‘Disabled people are currently excluded from discussions and solutions on climate change, meaning that laws, policies, and programmes don’t consider the needs of Disabled people or the impact of proposed change.” 

“Climate justice isn’t justice if it doesn’t include everyone.” 

While on sick leave, I watched the music and live events industries grapple with how to be sustainable. They were starting to design solutions to protect the planet. But I became aware that these climate change solutions may become yet another way of excluding people from music; that eco-conscious solutions were going to be prioritised over accessible solutions.    

Attitude is Everything’s environmental programme acknowledges that sometimes there might not be a solution available yet that is both accessible and environmentally friendly. Disabled people might require the use of single use items, cars, or additional equipment but they should never be blamed or shamed for this. 

Returning to work, I asked the team: “Could access to music and live events for disabled people become environmentally sustainable?”  I’m lucky to work with talented, open-minded, creative and caring people, who, unsurprisingly, wanted to see if we could make it work.   

To create attitudinal change both within Attitude is Everything and the music and live events sector, I brought on leading environmental organisations that focused on addressing climate sustainability in arts, cultural and live events – Julie’s Bicycle and A Greener Future.  We shared a vision that the best sustainable festival is an accessible one, and that disabled people should be at the heart of our research alongside industry partners.  

Thanks to investment from Arts Council England, we created a transformational programme of change that would bring access solutions and climate change solutions closer together as equal partners.  

Environmental responsibility and achieving sustainability goals in the workplace

Since implementing our Environmental Policy and Action Plan in 2011, more sustainable options have become available in the workplace: options for public transport and vehicles that are both accessible and sustainable, paperless offices, hybrid-working, hosting remote training sessions and virtual meetings.  

My first action in 2023 was to create a new organisational Environmental Responsibility subcommittee made up of staff and trustees. The subcommittee supported us to strengthen our commitment to reducing our negative environmental impact. They urged us to adopt a ‘circular first’ approach, encouraging us to ask ourselves if we could fix, reuse, repurpose or share equipment before buying new, for example.  They also advised us to research how we might become Net Zero by 2030. The subcommittee also supported the creation of a refreshed environmental policy and a three-year action plan.   

Since implementing our plan and policy, our travel usage reduced in 2023/24, even though we are now a bigger team. This was a result of staff and Board taking no international business-related flights, and we’d met our target to mostly travel by train, public transport and electric vehicles. This has been a key measure of success. But we are aware that with more place-based work on the horizon, and trustees and staff working outside of London where our office is, this may mean more transport both public and private.  

Over this period, our waste target increased, but this was because we deep cleaned the office, which included the disposal of unfixable electric equipment and unfixable furniture, which was recycled by First Mile where possible. Furthermore, our energy score was the same as the previous year, but halfway through 2023/24, we moved to a renewable energy supplier.  

Ready for more? Read part two.

Can you support us?

We can’t do our environmental activities without your feedback and support. There two ways in which you can help us:

If you’re a Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent music creative, please complete our public survey by Monday 16th September.

If you’re involved in running a venue, festival or event, feedback on the No Climate Action Without Us toolkit by Monday 23^rd September.

Looking back on your time as a Future Leader, how did being part of the initiative impact or help you and your career so far?

Being part of the Future Leaders programme has been life-changing for my career.

I took a break from the music industry due to my disability, when my confidence was at rock bottom. The programme gave me the confidence to get back into music management on my own terms and understand that I don’t have to work to the standard music industry model. My confidence has grown and enabled me to take on opportunities I didn’t think possible.

It has also helped me build a community of like-minded people to share experiences with. As a manager, I now feeI more empowered to advocate for people with disabilities in my field of work.

Can you share your favourite career highlights since your time as a Future Leader?

Since joining Future Leaders I’ve set up my own management business, Westwick Management, with a small roster of rock artists. This has led me to help run the Rock and Metal steering committee for the European Music Managers Alliance, which works to grow the Rock and Metal community across Europe through networking events and education panels.

The programme also helped me gain skills as a public speaker, having spoken on panels including at Focus Wales, as well as being featured on podcasts speaking about my experience and advocating for people with disabilities. I was also published in the Music Managers Forum report sharing my experience of working as a manager with a disability.

I’m now involved in mentoring and teaching with several music universities and colleges. I also work for Youth Music as a freelance assessor.

In three words, can you summarise your experience of the long term career benefits of being part of the Future Leaders initiative?

Life-changing, confidence-building, opens doors.

We know that disabled people care deeply about sustainability and are amongst the groups most impacted by climate change.

Earlier this year we released a joint No Climate Action Without Us toolkit with Julie’s Bicycle and A Greener Future on how to make disabled people’s access to live events environmentally sustainable. We revealed that only 22% of disabled respondants to a survey felt included and able to participate in events and festivals that align with their climate values.  One third of respondents felt that solutions are not easy to navigate and often do not meet their access requirements. 

We now wish to consult disabled music creatives further in the next phase of this vital work.

This survey will help us understand:

• What music creatives come up against when considering their own access requirments alongside environmentally responsible practices.
• What solutions may have been found.

The results will help us shape a resource to:

• Support disabled music creatives to adopt more environmental responsible practices whilst still having the access they need.
• Advocate for music industry systems and infrastructures to do the same – putting the access needs of disabled creatives and audiences at the heart of their thinking and action on sustainability and climate change. 

As creatives we use our craft to share our stories. How can we be more eco-friendly in our practice? 

Join us as we create resources that seek to bridge gap between accessibility and climate justice for disabled music creatives.

Start today.

Please respond by 16^th September.

Looking back on your time as a Future Leader, how did being part of the initiative impact or help you and your career so far? 

First of all, being part of the Future Leaders Programme gave me a sense of confidence in being recognised as a ‘future leader’ in itself.  

I’m currently an Event Delivery Manager in corporate events but over the next year I’ll be considering whether or not to move into creative events. Through the programme’s mentorship element, I gained invaluable insight into music festival operations and what it would be like working in this part of the industry.  

Additionally, being involved in Attitude is Everything has been such a huge eye opener to the amazing work going on to improve accessibility in live events and I have been using everything I have learnt in my own workplace and at events I run. I’ve also been advocating for better accessibility at my company, creating templates for my colleagues to request accessibility information from venues, introducing Personal Assistant passes to my conferences, and making the importance of good accessibility more visible.  

Can you share your favourite career highlights since your time as a Future Leader? 

I was promoted to Event Delivery Manager from Coordinator a few months ago after being officially recognised for all my hard work!  

I recently managed an event in Berlin for over 1,000 people in a new venue and had new innovations including bespoke canvas paintings commissioned for our awards ceremony event, accessibility information, wellbeing sessions and sustainability initiatives. It was so satisfying seeing this event come together and I was very proud! 

In three words, can you summarise your experience of the long term career benefits of being part of the Future Leaders initiative? 

Useful, inspiring, rewarding