About JazzNet247.com

What is the JazzNet247.com Project all about ?

I started the first project in 1994 when I left the corporate world due to a serious illness to my wife and I started working on the internet designing websites, print, enhanced CDs, DVDs etc etc, the project was called The Jazz Site and it was a pioneer of its day.

In 1999 I changed the name to the EuroClubdeJazz which coincided with me working with one of the major recording labels in the UK ( Sony Jazz ) for five years. I hosted their website and the EuroClubdeJazz until 2005 when Sony were bought out by BMG and my wife contracted meningitis. I didn't have the time to host the project as it was so I continued with only our radio channel JazzNet247 which has been operating ever since.

What is the ethos of the project ?

First and foremost, I play music to make people happy, it may be introducing them to a new artist or title or playing a memory from yesterday.

Music has a way of transcending time and reliving not only the memory of the song but where you were at the time it was current and with whom. It has a way of bringing people together and often as not, offering a warmth, hope and an outlet to the reality of everyday life and the stress and sadness it sometimes brings.

The Beatles sang :- ' All you need is love ' and that's about it in this life.

I've always tried to support the indie artists and labels and offer the listeners a different menu of music to listen to, hence our slogan ' Discover New Music Today '. I don't see the point of playing the same tracks as all the large commerical stations who do it much slicker and better with their large budgets.

We have no budget to promote the project and it actually costs £2,000 - £3,000 to operate it. It would be nice to get a kind sponsor but that is unlikely to happen in today's financial climate.

Our main STREETJAZZ show features all the newest releases each week courtesy of the wonderful servicing agents and the highest Groove Jazz Chart climbers and tracks bubbling under the charts. We also have FIVE BONUS CHANNELS all commercial free on demand including The Soul Train Revisted, Dreams Of Rio, The StreetJazz Vaults, StreetJazz Replay and Soundtraxx with our associate Mark Stanley in the USA.

We are indebted to Bill Cason from Shanachie Records, Casey Silcock from the Universal Music Group, Jason Gorov, Adam Leibovitz, Cherly Hughey, Lynn Lyons, Kim Giles, Jeff Lunt from Trippin'n' Rhythm Records, Baron Harris from 111 East Records, Funky Juice in Italy, Ishtar / Schema Records and other labels and all the indie artists for servicing us with music to feature on the shows.

Where are you based ?

Although I am a British citizen but nowadays our family home is situated on the Austrian / Swiss border in Hohenems and we are a stones throw away from Germany and Liechtenstein. The Alpine mountain range tower around us and the beautiful Lake Constance is 10 kilometres away from our doorstep. View our Gallery.

What is your background in the music business ?

My parents were professional musicians for 35 years playing big band jazz, latin American and cabaret. I grew up listening to their music and became a fan of Brazilian bossa nova at the age of 7 or 8. I was having a bath upstairs during practice on Sunday nights and when other kids my age were listening to pop, I knew jazz music and bossa nova just as well.

My eldest brother was in to rock and soul and my other brother played country and folk so I have quite a diverse mixture on offer. My mother was classically trained but I wouldn't say that I have much knowledge of that genre although I like some of it.

I played in bands, worked as a DJ, radio presenter, nightclub manager and even tuned pianos whilst growing up in our family music shop. I also learned to repair musical instruments which was very interesting. I travelled all over Europe and north American in the entertainments industry before working in the daytime job of sales, marketing and training for 20 years or so in the UK. I continued to perform semi-professionally until 2005.

What is your favourite music genre ?

Although I played soul, funk and jazz ( Tune into ' The Soul Train Revisted ', a new bonus channel ) most of my life in clubs and on radio, my personal favourite music has always been bossa nova and I was delighted to launch our new bonus channel ' Dreams Of Rio ' so that I could create a playlist for others to hear from the 45 years or so of collecting this magical music.

What other hobbies do you participate in ?

I used to play soccer, rugby and squash to a decent standard but nowadays I love to cross country ski and snow hike in winter and play golf and cycle the rest of the year. I have taken up photography and bought a nice Nikon camera but I am a hopeless amateur.

Although not a hobby, a lot of my time is spent caring for my disabled wife so I don't have too much free time for other things. The JazzNet247 Project allows me to keep an eye on Annette and still work on my shows.

What does the future hold in store ?

We are actively trying to launch our AGMAMI.com business here in the area offering translations, English language tuition, English proof reading and multimedia services, we still need to try and earn some money for a number of years so that has to take priority this year.

Apart from that it is continuing to support the jazz music genre and the indie artists and labels in particular and looking after my own diabetic condition, need to keep a check on it too.

We also need to try and help our daughter through her college years in England and hopefully she will achieve her degree and entry in the Royal Air Force which is her goal.