HAPPY INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY TO ALL JPN MEMBERS AND TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS!

Today is a highly appropriate one to announce that at the JPN AGM on April 28, after presentations by the candidates, the following seven people were elected to join the JPN Board for the following three years:

CAITRIONA O’MAHONY (Cork/Dublin)
Caitriona is an arts worker, artistic director and musician from Cork who is also currently General Manager of Improvised Music Company, Ireland’s jazz resource organisation.With IMC, she has gained a wide experience of the jazz and contemporary improvised music scenes in Ireland and across Europe. Caitriona is also Treasurer of East Cork Early Music CLG and has been involved in the founding and development of several network organisations, including the Irish Early Music Network, the Irish Jazz Forum and Music Alliance Ireland.

CONOR MCCAULEY (Belfast)
Based in Belfast, Conor is a musician specialising in free improvisation and drum set performance, a self-releasing artist (Córas Trio), and educator who understands the importance of regional representation across the UK and Ireland. As a previous attender at JPN conferences and a showcase performer in Bristol in 2024 with Coras Trio, he believes in the value of JPN membership in fostering new connections and strengthening those that already exist among artists, promoters, festivals, and venues.

HANNABIELL SANDERS (Newcastle/Gateshead)
With over 16 years of experience based in the Northeast of England, Hannabiell’s career has been rooted in creating music and projects that centre collaboration and community empowerment. She leads the ensembles Hannabiell & Midnight Blue and Ladies of Midnight Blue, and is a founder and the Artistic Director of Harambee Pasadia: Afro Fusion Arts Festival. Her practice is guided by the belief that we must set new, inclusive standards in the music industry. Bringing experience in performance, festival and curation, music education, fundraising strategies, and cross-sector community work she works to amplify underrepresented voices and create platforms where all communities can feel seen and celebrated.

NOD KNOWLES (Bath)
Nod is a voluntary promoter, presenting an annual gig series and Bath Jazz Weekend. Beginning as a voluntary jazz promoter in Cambridge he has come full circle, via a professional career as fundraiser, tour organiser, festival director, consultant and adviser to UK arts councils and British Council, Head of Music at Scottish Arts Council, President of Europe Jazz Network and, in 2013/14, a founding organiser of JPN of which he is still Company Secretary. He stepped down from the JPN board in 2016 to run its Going Dutch programme, rejoining in 2021 to commit time and experience to assist in liaising with funders and international partners and writing funding applications. He stood for election to the JPN board for a second term to continue to play an active part in shaping the network’s future strategic direction for the benefit of musicians, audiences and promoters.

PAULA GARDINER. Rhondda Valley/Cardiff
Musician and composer based in The Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Paula started her musical career as a classical guitarist and theatre composer, converting to double bass in the 90’s and becoming a band-leader, working across the UK. In 2001 she became Head of Jazz at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, designing the curriculum and creating the Amser JazzTime brand. She has also acted as a musician consultant for other boards and festivals and enjoys creating/facilitating educational schemes across diverse communities. Apart from knowing a lot of the ‘jazz family’ in Wales, she keeps up to date with wider events by being an active member of the Ivor’s Academy where she is deputy chair of the Jazz+ Council, alongside Orphy Robinson.

PAULINE BLACK (Orkney)
As musician, educator and researcher and now Deputy Principal at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Orkney, Pauiine was formerly Head of Music at the University of Aberdeen, An experienced ensemble director she developed the jazz scene at Aberdeen University, working in collaboration with students and visiting artists from Jazz at the Blue Lamp (JATBL) where she ran the Community Big Band and was active on the JATBL management committee for many years building up excellent working relationships with visiting artists in Scotland and beyond, as well as experiencing first-hand running a jazz club. She has extensive experience of board governance, including being President (2023) of the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) and Past Chair of Jazz from Scotland giving her insight into the Scottish jazz ecosystem as well as working cross-border and internationally.

These seven individuals will join ORPHY ROBINSON- musician/educator/jazz ambassador on numerous Boards – who was reelected for a second term in 2024 and is the current JPN Vice-Chair.

The meeting was delighted to welcome the new Board members and also thanked three retiring members – Heather Spencer, Peter Slavid and Keith Michael – who have all given very valuable service to JPN over the past three years, and will continue as members to be actively involved. Thanks were also given to Mark Kass and Agnese Daverio who both retired at the end of January.

Ros Rigby announced that having served over six years on the Board and four as Chair she has decided not to stand for a further three year term, but will continue to act as an adviser and provider of administrative support to the new Board and to the organisation.

She commented on the election

‘ Our hope was that in this round of recruitment we would be able to create a Board that fully reflects the geographical remit of JPN – to support the jazz sector right across the UK and Ireland – and we are delighted that this now will be the case. With plans for our conference in Cardiff on Nov 6 and 7 moving forward, our research project with Birmingham City University set to work with us on JPN’s future shape and direction, and these exciting new voices on the Board, the future is looking very exciting! ‘