An Ecology of the Large Jazz and Improvising Ensemble Scenes in the UK

This doctoral research project investigates contemporary large jazz and improvising ensemble scenes in the UK, with reference to similar scenes elsewhere in Europe. Addressing key issues within jazz, cultural policy, and media studies, it aims to explore sustainable ecosystems of professional large ensembles, organisations, and infrastructure. It will also consider why such systems are currently relatively lacking in Britain, and analyse if (and how) that situation could/should change. The project responds to a gap in existing academic literature and understanding by exploring the cultural, social, and economic contexts of the large ensemble within contemporary jazz and improvised music and particularly in UK and Europe, engaging with questions and challenges facing the sector and with wider academic discourse on cultural policy, value, and heritage.