Are you trying to get jazz gigs for your band or project? In this article I’m going to show you how to get better results, by figuring out exactly which promoters are ready to book you. This method has helped me book more than 1,500 gigs – and it can help you too!

Calling and emailing promoters to get jazz gigs is not the best part of being a musician, right?

Especially when you spend hours putting together that perfect email pitch, fire it out to 50 promoters and then… nothing!

For most jazz musicians though, booking gigs is an inevitable part of the ‘job’ if you want to build your profile and touring possibilities – at least until things reach a stage where an agent or manager is motivated to take you on.

There may not be a one-size-fits-all solution for how to get jazz gigs, but you CAN save time and get more success by focusing on the right things for your project…

Which jazz promoters will really book you?

Even within the jazz genre, there are many different niches. You can see this just by glancing at the programmes of clubs and festivals around the world.

Some promoters are only interested in straight-ahead jazz. Some prefer their jazz gigs with a side of electro or rock. Others are all about the singers. And so on.

As a booking agent, I don’t pitch all of my artists to all of my promoters.

It’s a sure way to lose people’s attention and make them stop reading all of your emails!

Fact is, if a promoter gets the feeling that what you are pitching is nowhere near their ‘thing,’ they are going to lose interest in your email pretty quickly.

Calling and emailing the promoters who don’t programme your style of music is a waste of everyone’s time, not least yours!

The key is to make sure you are pitching to a much more targeted group of jazz festivals and clubs who are likely to appreciate what you’re doing.

The simple 3-step method below is something I do with every new artist I take on. It’s also something you can do yourself, right now, in about 15 minutes!