#IAMWARRIOR Music Event Comes to the Jazz Café

Awarding-winning jazz organisation, TOMORROW'S WARRIORS are combating the threat of closure of their acclaimed Young Artist Development Programme with a crowdfunding campaign of live music events. To kick off the New Year the exciting #IAMWARRIOR appeal will see Soweto Kinch compare an evening showcasing the finest talent in UK Jazz. The event takes place at the Jazz Café in Camden, London on Saturday 12 January from 7pm - 10pm.

The show will celebrate the Warriors alumni and their incredible contribution to the jazz scene and also give a glimpse of emerging talented musicians. The first half will feature especially commissioned pieces from Soweto Kinch, Binker Golding, Zara McFarlane, Peter Edwards, Cassie Kinoshi, Shirley Tetteh and Mark Crown from Rudimental. The composers will perform their piece with the Tomorrow's Warriors 'Soon Come' House Band and the performance will be recorded live as part of #IAMWARRIOR celebratory appeal.

The artists are supporting the #IAmWarrior appeal by donating all proceeds of the recordings to Tomorrow's Warriors Trust (Charity No 1153613) to support the acclaimed year-round Young Artist Development Programme that in previous years nurtured and supported them in their early careers.

Young Artist Development is a £FREE training programme for talented young people. It has been responsible for producing acclaimed and influential UK jazz artists in the last 3 decades. Tomorrow's Warriors is asking the public to support its £100k fundraising appeal to enable them to continue this vital work. They have already raised more than 20% of their target. All donations to the #IAmWarrior Appeal are being match-funded by Arts Council England (ACE).

Their fundraising page is at https://www.gofundme.com/iamwarrior and Founder/Artistic Director, Gary Crosby OBE is asking the jazz lovers to support the appeal by donating what they can and sharing the link with the hashtag #IAmWarrior. ACE funds Tomorrow's Warriors to exist as an organisation, but all artistic and educational activity need to be fundraised for separately. This is an urgent appeal as there is no funding in place beyond the end of 2018, and it will take time to secure new funding.

Since 1991, Tomorrow's Warriors has been a pioneer in the development of young jazz musicians aged 11-25 and, in particular, champions and supports young people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, girls and those whose financial circumstances might otherwise lock them out of a career in the music industry.

Over 150 young musicians access their year-round weekly programme at Southbank Centre, benefiting from a rich and immersive development experience including 420+ workshops and ensemble rehearsals, 48+ performance opportunities for young musicians, professional mentoring, masterclasses and specialist training.

Tomorrow's Warriors has proven crucial in nurturing the nascent talent and early careers of many of the most exciting UK artists currently tearing up the international jazz scene helping to maintain a diverse talent pipeline into the music industry. Tomorrow's Warriors' alumni include Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Cassie Kinoshi and Nérija, Femi Koleoso and Ezra Collective, Binker Golding, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons of Kemet, Eska, Denys Baptiste, Soweto Kinch, Mark Crown, Andrew McCormack, Zara McFarlane, Mark Kavuma, Camilla George, Nathaniel Facey and Empirical, Peter Edwards and Rhythmica, Jason Yarde and J-Life, Robert Mitchell and Panacea, Byron Wallen...the list goes on!

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