HOW DID JAZZ BECOME COOL AGAIN?

HOW DID JAZZ BECOME COOL AGAIN?
WRITTEN BY JASMINE LEE KENNEDY
For a while, it was often seen as a pompous genre for high-brow, fedora-wearing arses – and sometimes the embarrassingly uncool parent – but now, jazz is making a comeback. Though previously ignored by the mainstream, it’s growing in popularity across the UK, especially among the under 30s, with festivals and music venues showcasing more jazz acts than ever before. But the question is: why?

First of all, music has become more accessible with streaming services, Youtube videos and infinite radio stations opening the door for us to discover music far and wide. With endless music at your fingertips, it’s easier to stumble upon music we would otherwise never have heard. You don’t have to go out and buy a CD or record to hear jazz, it’s right there – just waiting to be heard. It’s also never been so easy to share music. If we like something, you can send it to your friends with the click of a button, and vice versa, spreading the discovery of new music amongst your peers, increasing its popularity.

Jazz is also now being made for and by young people. There are a number of music programmes available to aspiring artists, with one of the most famous being Tomorrow’s Warriors. Founded in 1991, they’ve helped young musicians from BAME backgrounds to achieve their greatest potential – and eventually spearhead the jazz renaissance that is now taking over the UK. Some of the best neo-jazz artists out there today have come from within their walls, such as Sons Of Kemet, Ezra Collective, Kokoroko and Nubyia Garcia, just to name a few.

It would also be rude not to mention the impact Giles Peterson has had on London’s jazz resurgence. He is, undoubtedly, one of the most-loved and influential figures in the UK music scene. Every Saturday on his Radio 6 show, and on his own Worldwide Radio station, he showcases incredible new jazz artists as well as shines a light on the work of the late greats. We Out Here, his most recent festival which debuted last year, was described by attendees as a celebration of jazz, soul and everything in between. With his passion for the genre, he has influenced the younger generation to appreciate jazz just so much more.

Furthermore, popular artists are increasingly incorporating jazz into their music. For example, Loyle Carner, The Internet, Kendrick Lamar and many more have jazzed up many of their tunes, often in collaboration with rising artists. This has brought jazz into the mainstream and has made it far more accessible to a wider pool of people than when it was a previously uninvitingly niche to them.

We can only guess that this jazz’s popularity is going to grow and grow, with an ever-increasing number of talented musicians coming out of the woodworks. You can also expect that artists of all genres will be broadening their musical horizons, including elements of jazz in their tracks – and we can’t wait to hear it.