It’s been a rollercoaster week for the Doncaster jazz scene following the decision of the town’s council to cease funding of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association. All seemed lost. But following a Groove Armada fundraiser that took place at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London at the end of January the Association has been saved for the time being, its director and founder John Ellis has confirmed.

The evening raised £22,000 for the cause, enough to fund the four youth ensembles under the association’s wing, and keep jazz alive in Doncaster for the new generation. The Ronnie’s night, which was called Groove Armada – Once in a Lifetime: a Turntable History 1995-2011, featured the rare appearance of singer Neneh Cherry who joined Groove Armada in a short late-night set which included the highly appropriate lead-off song ‘Think Twice’, which Cherry had previously collaborated on with the band.

Cherry’s appearance followed an earlier set featuring singer Saint Saviour joining Groove Armada, and earlier in the evening upstairs in Ronnie’s Bar former members of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra including trumpeter Tom Ashe, bassist Paul Grady, saxophonist Mark Ellis and trombonist Stuart Garside played a set of jazz standards such as ‘A Night In Tunisia’, ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Summertime.’

The night was organised by Groove Armada’s Andy Cato, a former member of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association, who has previously gone public to point to the importance of jazz education at a grassroots level. Paying tribute to Cato Ellis says: “Following a year in which we have struggled with substantially reduced funding, and the reality of next month’s total cessation of council support, we now have renewed hope. Thanks to Andy Cato, his friends and Ronnie Scott’s we are financially solvent for another year at least. We are now in a better position to plan, develop and to seek additional sustainable funding from other sources. Andy’s pro-active approach and generosity has strengthened our resolve and given us a lifeline with which to secure the future of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra.”

– Stephen Graham