Since the last results were published, here are those from our more recent concerts:

Date / Band/ Positive Result

May 15 / Chichester College Jazz Students / 100%

June 18 / Dory’s Riverside Ramblers / 93%

July 7 / DNA Quartet (replaced Big Jim Sullivan Trio) / 100%

July 17 / Mark Bassey and Friends (Simon Savage indisposed) / 75%

September 18 / Sussex Jazz Kings / 96%

October 16 / Pete Randall Band featuring Geoff Simkins/Lewis Wright / 97%

October 30 / Phil Brown Swingtet / 98%

To ensure that what the club offers its members is what they want it is important that the committee regularly review the way the club is run in order to provide the best value for our members.

While we have no current plans to change anything, we do question a number of key ingredients that make up what the club is all about. These include:

• Moving away from a Friday to a mid-week evening. Although band fees will be cheaper, giving us scope to book some higher quality bands, any change would take two seasons to implement. • Charging more to further improve the quality of the musicians. • Starting later. In comparison to other nearby clubs, ours is a relatively early start time, however ending significantly later is not an acceptable option to the Pallant Suite. • While the total of fifteen nights doesn’t change, if it were possible with our hosts, scheduling more concerts in the winter and less in the summer. • Having a special gala night once a season to present a major player at an appropriate admission cost. • Taking another look at our musical policy and rebalancing today’s mix of modern, mainstream, vocal and traditional.

As already stated, we have no plans to do any of these things but if there was a strong demand for change, if it were possible we would take action. To get a better view of your preferences, over the coming months we will be informally asking members if they have any thoughts on the above and will get back to you with our findings.

In the meantime, please tell us your views at info@chichesterjazzclub.co.uk Thank you!

The changes we made to the format of Jazz in the City 2009 designed to improve the festival’s popularity were unsuccessful. Since its inception in 2006, each year has seen a decline in interest over the previous year. A fresh approach is needed and we are currently considering options.

As you may have read in the local press, Chichester is serious about bidding to become the UK’s first City of Culture in 2013. Chichester Arts and Heritage Partnership has been formed and a project coordinator appointed. This organisation replaces the Duke of Richmond’s 1990s initiative South West Sussex Arts Group (SWAG). Chichester District Council has given some funding to enable a full bid to be made before the end of the year. If still in existence, it is most likely that JITC would be an element in the bid, the results of which will be known in May 2010.

One of the brighter aspects of JITC 2009 was the concert featuring the 25-piece Army Big Band at The Venue. Reaction to this evening from those in the audience and from those on the stage has got us thinking about a repeat performance. We are looking at the best way of doing this and hope to be able to announce firmer plans very soon.

Although the financial position of the club is healthy, last season the club spent over £13,000 with most of this going on hiring musicians, the venue, the piano, the sound, insurance and affiliation fees. However, more that £2,500 was spent on printing, advertising and administrative expenses. One way of reducing these costs would be to take note of the way other clubs manage their communications and better exploit the technology that is available to most of us.

To make a dent in the cost of printing and postage and to help us better promote the club, we are currently looking at developing a database of members’ email addresses so that in future we can send electronically items such as this newsletter and even the programme itself. In support of this, if you have not already done so, please advise us of your email address by sending a note to info@chichesterjazzclub.co.uk.