We launched Jazz re:freshed in 2003 to serve the underrepresented musicians on the jazz scene by offering them more performance opportunities. 

After a few years, we became an outlier with a reputation for drawing attention to talented up-and-coming musicians. While our doors always remained open, the jazz industry generally remained closed off to musicians from a number of backgrounds. So, we made it our mission to knock down the prejudice and barriers that exist for jazz musicians, with a specific focus on female, Black British and young talent. 

We’ve worked with thousands of artists, helping them to create their first albums, lead showcases and build an audience for their careers. 

In 2013 we launched a one-day festival – JAZZ RE:FEST – to provide much-needed live festival opportunities for underrepesented jazz musicians who were often overlooked for bookings. 

Up until this point, Jazz re:freshed had been funded solely by the first Founders, Justin and Adam but in 2016 the tides turned as, with our first round of funding, the team was able to launch international showcases to support the many musicians who needed us.

We launched our Outernational initiative in partnership with the British Underground at SXSW in Austin in 2017 (which was broadcasted to 4 million people through NPR) and went on to showcase at AFROPUNK Paris and New York. 

The people behind Jazz Re:freshed

A small but relentlessly determined team, Jazz re:freshed has its hands in many pies, hosting a weekly live residency, a record label, a festival, film club, band development programme, club night, workshops and more. 

Take a moment and get to know the people behind the scenes.

  • Justin McKenzie

    Co-Founder / Artistic Director / Co-Chief Executive

    After working in the Social Care & Education sectors, and developing a career in Art & Design, Justin co-founded Hip Hop record label and events unit - Uprock Recordings - in 2000 with a group of fellow DJ friends, organically led to the creation of the music & arts movement Jazz re:freshed. The raw creativity of Jazz music and how it connected the dots between many of the music genres inspired Justin and, ultimately, led him to conceive and co-found Jazz re:freshed in 2003. As one of the Directors of Jazz re:freshed, Justin heads the creative department as Creative Director, alongside his duties as a Co-Chief Exec.

  • Yvette Griffith

    Co-Chief Exec & Executive Director

    Yvette joined the Jazz re:freshed founders in 2013 to take the business to the next level. She has since become an integral part of the leadership team. Yvette leads strategic planning, financial and business management, fundraising, partnerships and industry relationships.

  • Adam Moses

    Co-Founder / Project Director / Co-Chief Executive

    Adam 'Rockers' Moses is a DJ, producer, and co-founder of Jazz re:freshed. Adam's passion for music started early in his life, and he honed his skills as a DJ, spinning everything from hip-hop to jazz.

    Adam has been instrumental in developing Jazz re:freshed for the past 20 years with his vision, curation and passion playing an integral part in its success.

  • Chippy

    Event Operations

  • Bunny Bread

    Photography / Design

  • Alanna Henry

    Event Producer

  • Sam Campbell

    Record Label Manager

  • Garth 'Boogiebwoy'

    Videographer

  • Yemi Sawyerr

    Event Administrator

  • Nieca Surmieda

    Junior Videographer

  • Joseph Suttle

    Finance Manager

  • Mikey

    Sound Engineer

  • Jason Yarde

    Composer, producer, and saxophonist Jason Yarde casts a wide musical net having worked with the Jazz Warriors from age 16, Louis Moholo, 4hero, Keziah Jones to Wretch 32.

    He led Tomorrow’s Warriors 2nd group j-life and has a long-standing duo with Andrew McCormack.

    The much-anticipated debut album of his large ensemble ACOUTASTiC BOMBASTiC; is due to be released via JRF this century.

  • Victor Redwood-Sawyerr

    Victor has over 25 years of experience as a music creator and cultural entrepreneur. He is an accomplished musician, songwriter and record producer, winning MOBO and American Soul Train awards for his international work in soul, R&B and hip hop.

    Victor has also worked at Arts Council England supporting the development of various music genres and, through his consultancy Red 1 Arts, supports the cultural sector by delivering artist development, live events and business support.

  • Dean Ricketts

    Dean built upon his background in fashion styling & music and founded The Watch-Men Agency in 1989, a strategic marketing and creative agency specialising in 'how people live in cities, or if you prefer 'urban culture'.

    Throughout his career, Dean has executed multiple strategic marketing campaigns at both local and global levels, working with The Fugees, OutKast & Jamiroquai, and more.

    He is also on the board of Jamaican Music Industry Association JaRIA.

  • Stephen Escritt

    Stephen is co-Founder and Senior Partner at Counterculture, a consultancy that specialises in working with arts, heritage and creative organisations.

    He was formerly Director of Strategic Development at the Whitechapel Gallery and has written two books on early twentieth-century design and architecture. He was a Clore Fellow 2004-05 and has a long-standing interest in and appreciation of Jazz, which stemmed from buying a second-hand copy of a John Coltrane LP in York when he was 17.