One Jazz - going strong just a few weeks in

For co-creators Chris Phillips and Jez Nelson MBE, the new One Jazz platform is an altruistic proposition.

One of the big advantages of the digital world in which we live is the ability for people like Chris and Jez to launch the equivalent of a brand new radio station, and for them to provide content their listeners will love. One Jazz can be streamed anywhere in the world and it’s even available as an Alexa skill, for those ubiquitous boxes around our homes and workspaces.

For those of us familiar with their work on radio and at live events, both Chris and Jez seem to live and breathe finding great music and sharing it with a passion that is palpable.

I chatted with Chris at Love Supreme, when One Jazz was already becoming a valuable force in music. He explained what had sparked this new project: "One Jazz is all about creating a conversation, Our music is underserved and it’s not making its way into the wider culture: we are both artists at heart and want to right that wrong.”

Both Chris and Jez are determined to do something they believe in wholeheartedly. Together, they combine a huge amount of jazz knowledge and have a long history of quality broadcasting, especially on the UK’s Jazz FM, as well as business strategic thinking and skills. Their ‘Somethin’ Else’ organisation is a titan of the UK’s radio industry and they are - independently and collectively - responsible for some of the finest content in jazz broadcasting.

What One Jazz does is take all of that experience and passion and bring it to the world. Chris said: “We want an affordable set-up but one that makes the music accessible. The sky is the limit with technology that is available now and coming soon: the internet is our champion and it allows us to engage with audiences and create community of interest in jazz.”

One Jazz is bringing a spectrum of different voices, from the Glasgow scene to Australia and Japan, Anthony Dean Harris in San Antonio, Orphy Robinson and many others, who are all doing it for the right reasons.

70% of the output is new music, giving real access to artists who might otherwise be missed. "We're presenting new dosciveries and making them relevant, while not losing track of our heritage,” Chris added.

One Jazz is an incremental station - what you see and hear today is both exciting and evolving, both in the music itself but also in the availability and accessibility. The challenge for Chris and Jez is how to stand out and to reach a global audience for jazz: those of us who are already committed and those who just haven’t yet heard what we know they’ll love. One Jazz is set to continue bringing us new music, while disrupting how we listen.