Laura Tindall, music teacher and Radio Tyneside host, catches up with Jamie Toms – founder of North East label Jazz Sound Records…
Jamie Toms, like many other creatives I know, is all about the artistry. He’s in it for the love of it, for the music, and to bring recognition to talented people.
As a musician and teacher with a life-long involvement in jazz music, performing and composing, Jamie recognised that original jazz music in the Newcastle area doesn’t always have an outlet.
He said: “I set up Jazz Sound Records to help promote people who are writing original jazz. People here in the North East would otherwise have to release their material independently or go elsewhere to a bigger label.
“There are bands doing original stuff that are being overlooked, or the bands are backing away from writing original material because of a difficulty in getting events. There are a lot of talented musicians, but the scene is going a bit quiet.”
The idea for the label came as a business idea for part of Jamie’s recent MA in Music Management, but he realised there was a demand for the label to continue after discussions with different musicians and bandleaders.
“I believe the music these bands are creating is high quality, and I will eventually push the bands to be gigging further afield, arranging gigs in other parts of the country, and even into other European countries where the jazz scene is strong.”
The bands currently represented by the label are Not Now Charlie, Uncle Oswald, Slowlight Quartet and After Dark Fonksters – all of which hold strong ties with the North East.
The ultimate driving force behind Jazz Sound Records is original music.
“A lot of places book bands to play trad. jazz and standards, but it can put the nail in the coffin of people writing original jazz music if there’s no outlet or any venues to play it at.”
Jamie is putting his money where his mouth is, and in February will be putting on a gig with his band Not Now Charlie at the Jazz Café in Newcastle. The gig will be entirely original jazz, and the band’s sound can be described as melodic, groove-based jazz, which is catchy and partly improvised. There will be a live recording of the gig, and the EP will be released by Jazz Sound Records later in the year.
Jamie agrees that there is often quite a discerning audience at jazz gigs, and enjoys that it’s often other musicians in attendance. However, he wants the gigs promoted by Jazz Sound Records to be of wider appeal, especially to those people who think they might not like jazz.
“I want a fresher approach to the scene. I want a jazz band to be able to put on a gig in the same way that a pop band would do. I want to expose more people to original music that they might not otherwise seek out.”
Not Now Charlie, made up of a group of five musicians in their 20s and 30s, were brought together by knowing each other from different jazz bands and from studying Music at university. While Jamie writes most of the material, the band’s unique sound comes from the interpretation that the band members bring to the material.
“I have an idea of the harmonic structure in my head, as well as riffs, or sometimes particular rhythmic ideas. We also have set solo sections within a piece, and we improvise around an idea. If I write all the parts out exactly, then it sounds like my voice, but I like to leave it as open as possible so people can interpret it and bring their own sound to it.”
If you have ever wanted your clapping and cheering preserved on a jazz album forever, then now is your chance!
Jazz Sound Records are presenting Not Now Charlie with support from The Saxophonics playing at the Jazz Café, Pink Lane, Newcastle, NE1 5DW on Friday 12th February at 9pm. Tickets are £5 in advance, or £3 on the door.
Not Now Charlie play original groove-based jazz. They are Jamie Toms – Saxophone, Pawel Jedrzejewski – Guitar, Richard Campbell – Keys, Liam Gaughan – Bass, Dave McKeague – Drums.
Saxophonics are a local saxophone quartet playing original jazz compositions and arrangements.
Photographs by Ken Drew and Jamie Toms.
