Geoff Wright stands down from Derby Jazz and MJAZZ.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Long serving jazz promoter and administrator Geoff Wright is taking a step back after fifty years of involvement with jazz in Derby and the wider East Midlands.

Geoff Wright has issued the following statement;

Geoff Wright is standing down from Derby Jazz and MJAZZ.

Geoff Wright is standing down as Development Director of Derby Jazz and as a director of Derby Jazz and MJAZZ, the development agency for jazz in the East Midlands.

Geoff started promoting in Derby in 1976 with a concert and workshop for schools by Graham Collier Music. Over more than a thousand gigs since then Geoff and his teams at Derby Jazz have presented a “Who’s Who?” of British jazz and improvised music.

Early shows featured John Stevens SME and Derek Bailey’s COMPANY as well as Stan Tracey, Barbara Thompson’s PARAPHERNALIA and Ian Carr’s NUCLEUS. That diversity has continued for fifty years with shows in 2025 featuring Pat Thomas’ AHMED and Charlotte Keefe’s RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW alongside HEJIRA and The POCKET ELLINGTON.

As an unpaid promoter with professional attitude and skills Geoff also showed continued commitment to developing talented musicians from Derby. Properly paid gigs for bands from the East Midlands have always featured along with star names. Hundreds of children and adults have benefitted from various workshops, education projects and summer schools. Mentoring schemes have helped many to develop into professional musicians and commissions have been significant in the careers of Phil Robson, Julian Siegel and Corey Mwamba.

Geoff leaves Derby Jazz with sound finances, an experienced team of volunteers and an ongoing programme of shows and workshops in place.

Geoff is also standing down from the Board of MJAZZ, the regional support agency for jazz in the East Midlands which he helped set up in 2009.