Community Projects

TRUSTEES

Miles Peachey - Treasurer
Miles has recently joined the Board as Treasurer. Over the last couple of years he has been hypnotised by some groovy jazz performances, which may to some degree explain his insatiable appetite to dance at every opportunity. It could be argued that the Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Club are partially responsible (they programmed the gigs), but that would rely on the abstract notion of cause and effect, the popularity of which has decreased since the turn of the century.

By chance (apparently) Miles now owns a cornet, has had a couple of lessons and when he grows up he would like to be full-on musician.

Sue Bradley
Sue has been a member of the Board since 2014. Her background is community development and supporting charities and voluntary organisations. She is passionate about the quality that music can bring to people's lives, giving chances for everyone to have a go, and providing the scope for world class musicians to come to the Ribble Valley.

Sue is a keen amateur sax player, and now especially enjoys the opportunities to learn improvisation and improve playing standards through Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues' Jazz Collective and regular workshops. She loves playing swing, and well known jazz standards but has a soft spot for new music which pushes the boundaries of any sort in any era - from bebop to today's young jazz composers.

Paul Ellis
One of two of the original members of the committee of Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues, that still has some responsibility for decision making, the other being Geoffrey Jackson. Present at the clubs inception on 6th February 2007, and was the Club Secretary for 2 years.

The main area of responsibility is now the clubs programme of events at The Atrium, including sourcing of artists and steward and equipment engineer at these events.

As a retired teacher of Art and of English, these interests are maintained in an additional role as an active poet and a writer for “Ribble Rousers”.

Favourite jazz CD is TUTU by Miles Davies and Marcus Miller (1986)

Lorraine Grice
Lorraine joined the Board in 2014. Lorraine is learning to play the alto sax and is a member of the Ribble Valley Jazz Collective community band. Since the formation of the Collective, Lorraine became responsible for finding gigs for the band, and is easily reaching her target of 6 gigs per year! One of her keen interests is involving young people in this form of music, and this is something Lorraine will develop, with other Board members, during 2015.

Lorraine enjoys all forms of music but in particular Soul, Funk and Reggae.

Dave Walters
Dave – originally from London, is a new member of the Board. His background is in education where he spent time lecturing and then managing in a University and also spent some time as an IT consultant.
Dave has always been interested in music both from a listening and playing perspective. Before moving North he played in a number of bands in the London area and also as an acoustic duo. Dave now plays guitar in the BluFunk Syndicate, one of the two Jazz Club bands, where he is also the band manager.
As a player and listener, he likes most styles of music. In terms of Jazz his preference is very much for modern Jazz & Jazz Rock. As a board member he is particularly interested in helping to increase the diversity of those who listen too and play Jazz and to try and persuade people that Jazz encompasses a great variety of musical styles.

Ivana Douglas
Ivana, originally from South Africa has lived in the Ribble Valley for many years and has worked at The Grand Venue for over two years. As the Creative Learning Coordinator Ivana worked closely with children of all ages, encouraging engagement with all aspects of the creative arts, as well as getting involved with the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival each year.

Ivana is still involved at The Grand Venue, but has turned her attention to her degree in Music Production and Performance (BA) Hons at UCLAN. Ivana is also a singer/songwriter, guitarist and saxophonist, and is currently part of a blues and funk band. Ivana hopes to see more young people fall in love with Jazz and other aspects of the creative arts. Ivana is a fun-loving person who enjoys all genres of music, dancing to anything with a beat, aerial arts and being creative.

Phil Lee
Phil is a retired applied social science academic; he is a published author and journal editor. His jobs included Head of Department and Director of a School/Faculty. He now lives in small hamlet in the Yorkshire Dales, near Skipton. He has many interests other than music – sport, walking, travelling and writing. He has one adult son and two adult stepchildren. He has volunteered for various charities and has been a school parent governor.

Kate Lowes
Kate Lowes is Head of Programmes at Brighter Sound - a music charity that produce projects, events, residencies and commissions to support young and early career musicians. Kate has worked in the creative industries for 12 years. She has a BA in Music, a MA in Arts and Cultural Policy and is currently writing up a PhD at the University of Manchester researching the gender gap in the British Music industry. Kate’s research is practice-based and connected to her development of the Both Sides Now initiative which she is running across the North of England to support early career female artists and influence change with regards to gender equality in music.

 
ASSOCIATES

John Flanagan
John's passion for the Blues began at the Station Hotel in Birmingham then experimental Jazz at Wolverhampton Poly, Trad in Chester and Punk at the Cellar Bar. So joining the club to support live music was a step up for him!

Not being musical John contributes with design producing our posters and flyers and is the technical know-how behind our website.

Paul Rigby
Paul has been involved in the music industry professionally since 1981 and as a music educator since 1993. Playing drums, bass, keyboards and trumpet, he is still very much involved in performing nationally and internationally, not only with his own professional band, the Northern Jazz Orchestra, but also with youth groups as the Lancashire Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Blackburn with Darwen Big Band. He has been Head of Music at various colleges around the country.

Paul was Festival President for 3 years (2012-4) and currently leads our two community bands: the Ribble Valley Jazz Big Band and the newer funk group.