Policy Statement

This event is being organised by a local committee of musicians and jazz fans.

Our aim is to promote jazz on the Isle of Wight. Members of the committee will not receive any financial reward. Inspected accounts will be made available on request.

The committee will cover the cost of the main venues and headline acts. This will be funded by sponsorship, ticket sales and other fund-raising activities.

Any subsequent profits will go towards funding future events.

We will encourage other performances during the period. However, we will not act as agents. It will be the responsibility of the performers and venues to negotiate between themselves.

double click to hide

Rod Youngs

Rod Youngs is a musician, composer and educator of immense talent and refinement. His interest in music began in his youth and has spawned into a career that has spanned over two decades and taken him to over thirty countries. His musical background encompasses many genres from classical, jazz, and R&B; to pop, rock, and hip-hop. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Applied percussion from Howard University. He also studied with former principle timpanist of the National Symphony Orchestra, Fred Begun and in 1985 he was chosen to study jazz performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. under the tutelage of Keith Copland.

A native of Washington D.C. Rod's consummate musicianship has garnered him a wide variety work from concerts and recordings to sessions for radio, TV and film. Over the years Rod has also performed/recorded with a formidable array of artists including, Ronnie Laws, Hugh Masekala, Jon Hendricks, Gil Scott-Heron, Natalie Cole, Me Shell Ndegeocello, Soweto Kinch, Matthew Herbert, Steve Williamson, Julian Joseph, Jhelisa Anderson, Courtney Pine, Ernest Ranglin, Vanessa Rubin, Don Braden , Horace Andy, Sia, Juliet Roberts, Denys Baptiste, Gary Crosby's Nu Troop and the Jazz Jamaica All Stars amongst others.

In addition to performing, Rod is actively involved in music education. He has served as an instructor on the Glamorgan University jazz course and currently provides private instruction for students of all levels and ages. He also conducts performance workshops throughout the UK for the Tomorrows Warriors organization, Serious International Music Producers and The Round House.

Watch Rod play "Equinox" at Planet Drums

Rod's Website