New jazz radio series - ‘I Am Warrior’ begins on 11/08/2024.

Thursday, August 08, 2024

Jazz FM and One Jazz have announced I AM WARRIOR - a co-production with Tomorrow’s Warriors – a new series that will introduce listeners to young emerging jazz artists.

We have received the following press release;

New jazz series - I Am Warrior

Brand new landmark series showcases the genre’s most exciting young artists

Jazz FM and One Jazz have announced today, I AM WARRIOR - a co-production with Tomorrow’s Warriors – a new series that will introduce listeners to some of the most exciting young emerging artists in the genre.

Over six episodes, vocalist Ni Maxine, saxophonist David Kayode and trumpeter Shanise Hall will share their personal connections to jazz legends, highlight classic tracks that have influenced their own work and explore contemporary jazz trends.

Jazz FM, the UK’s only jazz, soul and blues radio station, and the new global online jazz platform One Jazz is working with renowned jazz development organisation, Tomorrow’s Warriors, on this new series intended to shape the sound of the next jazz generation.

Nick Pitts, Content Director at Jazz FM and Magic Classical, said:
‘When we sat down with the team from One Jazz about this exciting and innovative project and the opportunities around it, we thought it would be a great opportunity to highlight what sits at the centre of jazz – collaboration. And there’s no one better to collaborate with than Tomorrow’s Warriors who have proven time and time again to be ground breakers and tastemakers in the UK jazz scene’

Jez Nelson, co-founder of One Jazz, said:
‘Tomorrow’s Warriors is unquestionably one of the most important organisations in the story of UK jazz. It’s amazing to look at the wealth of young musicians that have passed through their doors over decades. One Jazz was built to provide a platform for artists to express their passion for the music. We’re proud to have I Am Warrior joining our roster of quality jazz shows from diverse voices around the world. Ni, Shanise and David are just the kind of young voices we want to hear from and develop to be part of One Jazz’s future.’

Dr Gary Crosby OBE, Tomorrow’s Warriors Co-founder and Artistic Director said,
‘We are delighted to collaborate with our good friends and colleagues at Jazz FM and One Jazz. Over 33 years, Tomorrow’s Warriors has supported thousands of musicians to build sustainable careers, with more artists wanting to build multi-faceted careers in broadcasting and presenting. Our collaboration is a fantastic development opportunity for Ni, David and Shanise, three Warrior emerging artists with an exciting future ahead. Listeners will be able to enjoy the musical journeys, influences and inspirations of the next jazz generation.’

I AM WARRIOR begins on One Jazz from this Sunday [August 11th] at 4pm
  – more information on http://www.onejazz.net

Jazz FM will air the six-week series from Saturday 2nd November between 9-10pm

About Jazz FM:
Jazz FM is the largest commercial jazz station in the world, celebrating the complete spectrum of Jazz in all its colourful forms since 1990. Jazz FM broadcasters, producers and team are true devotees, with a deep love and understanding of their particular jazz shade, their passion is vivid, their enthusiasm infectious, sharing the finest jazz with everyone.
As the UK’s only dedicated Jazz broadcaster, Jazz FM is on a mission to entertain, promote and celebrate all that’s great about Jazz. Involvement with national festivals and awards is part of this - setting the bar high for live performance, recognising outstanding talent and strengthening the Jazz community.
No matter how people tune-in they always listen in colour.

About Tomorrow’s Warriors:
For over 30 years, Tomorrow’s Warriors has played a vital role within its community and the wider music industry and has been credited with literally changing the face of UK jazz.
Free access to Tomorrow’s Warriors artistic programme has proved crucial in nurturing the nascent talent and early careers of so many of the most exciting UK artists currently tearing up the international jazz scene including Mercury Prize 2023 winners Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons of Kemet, ESKA, Jason Yarde, Denys Baptiste, Robert Mitchell, Soweto Kinch, Shirley Tetteh, Byron Wallen…the list goes on. 

About One Jazz:
One Jazz is the new 24/7 global online jazz radio platform providing a constant flow of uninterrupted, curated music with a focus on the best new recordings but also including gems from the past. One Jazz has 40 plus hosted shows from across the world including presenters from the USA, Japan, Australia, Finland and across Europe. There are shows focussing on free jazz, latin jazz, electronic music and the very best contemporary releases. One Jazz can be found at onejazz.net and on smart devices.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

David Kayode
Mentored and taught by Tomorrow’s Warriors alum Camilla George and mentored by Warriors’ co-founder Gary Crosby OBE, David Kayode is a rising talent on the UK jazz scene. Growing up in West London, David’s first musical memory is hearing the music of Bob Marley and singing along to Three Little Birds. His household mixed the sounds of reggae with Ghanaian high-life music and the joy, love and power of music became a major part of his childhood.
It was at Tomorrow’s Warriors that Gary Crosby encouraged David to swap from alto to tenor sax, the instrument he now favours. David has gone on to perform regularly with the Gary Crosby Sextet for the acclaimed Mingus Moves series of concerts in 2022/23. As well as leading his own band, David regularly plays with Nii Maxine, has performed with afro-beat pioneers Osibisa, and has travelled to Hong Kong with MOBO winner and Mercury Prize nominee Moses Boyd.

Ni Maxine
The award-winning British Neo-Jazz Singer-Songwriter, Ni Maxine, hailed a ‘Black Woman at The Forefront of the UK Jazz Scene’ (Black Ballad), is sparking intergenerational conversations for change through song, exploring themes of home, identity, self-esteem and belonging.
Ni spun into Tomorrow’s Warriors orbit in late 2021 when she joined the Roots to the Future radio training project with TW and Folded Wing. She went on to take part in the London The Grime Supreme project, joined the outreach learning team delivering education projects in Liverpool and Cambridge, and has hosted Tomorrow’s Warriors’ former monthly radio show on Worldwide FM.
Compared, by audience members, to Billie Holiday, Sade and Erykah Badu, her conscious and political lyricism and timeless vocal have taken her to the main stage at Liverpool’s Africa Oyé, Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here and the EFG London Jazz Festival.
With a BBC Introducing live session under her belt, her Manchester Jazz Festival performance broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s J to Z and a live appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, Ni Maxine has carved a path for her ‘afro-centric and soulful’ sound.

Her award-winning debut single Strange Love, supported by tastemakers Jamie Cullum (The Jazz Show), YolanDa Brown, Jamz Supernova and China Moses, and was played across Jazz FM, Radio1, 1Xtra, and Selector Radio cementing Ni Maxine as one to watch.

Shanise Hall
Shanise Hall is a third-generation Jamaican Jazz Trumpeter who grew up in the lively community of Streatham in South London. She draws inspiration from Roy Hargrove and Freddie Hubbard, and is known for her emotive playing style, connecting with audiences on a spiritual level.
In April 2023, she transitioned from a promising academic path in Neuroscience at the University of Bristol to a flourishing career in jazz, with the unwavering support of her grandmother, aunt, and mentors Gary Crosby OBE and Tomorrow’s Warriors.
Shanise debuted with her own project, performing at Southbank Centre to open for BBC Introducing Futuretense. She has performed at Womad, Brick Lane Jazz Festival, All Point East, Great Exhibition Road Festival, and Greenbelt, and this summer Shanise will perform at We Out Here as part of Tomorrow’s Warriors Big Top stage, where she will debut new material.  She also performs with the NoK Cultural Ensemble, led by Natcyet Wakili, on stage alongside Theon Cross at the Church of Sound. She is also a member of the Kolakale Kolective led by Asaph Kolakale, on stage alongside David Mrakpor. Shanise is also a member of the Grand Union Orchestra. To date she has performed at Ronnie Scotts, Barbican, Southbank Centre, Omeara, and Foyles and has shared the stage with iconic rapper Eve.
Believing in the transformative power of music, Shanise’s performances reflect her journey, heritage, and present emotions.