Just Jazz International
Booking, Artist Booking, Promoter, Entertainment, Event, Management
location_on
Seyengasse 2, Köln, Germany
phone
+49 221 250 81 89 – 0
About us
Just Jazz International/Konzertdirektion Gerd Mayer exists since 1960 and has become one of Europe‘s leading Jazz agencies.
A reason for the constant success of the Family business lies in its solid foundation, composed of organizers and artists who share the same goal–to look after and care for the well–being of jazz.
The founder of the company, Gerd Mayer, discovered Jazz accidentally during World War II by peeling potatoes! While performing his obligatory war service, which entailed working in the kitchen with his friends, he listened as the Nazi‘s called it »degenerative art«. Such an offence meant risking a prison sentence, yet, the Jazz fever encapsulated him and never left him. After the end of the war, as a second job, the businessman organized with his friends (who later became his colleagues), festivals, concerts, Riverboat shuffles and Jazz seminars in the areas around Essen and Düsseldorf. He even sacrificed his vacations to go on tour as a road manager.
In 1960, passion grew into a profession, and the Konzertdirektion Gerd Mayer was founded. First with partner Helmut Falk, and then after his much too early death with wife Jacqueline (first located in Velbert, Cologne than Bad Honnef), Gerd Mayer established for himself a name during the successful years of working together with the Dutch Swing College Band. With this group, Europe‘s leading Jazz band of that time, he organized numerous concerts over many years. He also influenced their career – move by contracting several US Greats, such as Jimmy Witherspoon, Teddy Wilson, Joe Venuti, Wild Bill Davidson, Bud Freeman. Working together with diverse TV Shows (Musikladen, Vergissmeinnicht, Herz ist Trumpf, Drehscheibe, aktuelle Schaubude u.v.m.) was then for a Jazz agent a daily routine.
Concerts as a local promoter were organized, bringing such big names as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley McLaine, Oscar Peterson, etc.. Gerd Mayer also put together individual AMERICAN ALL STAR BANDS with all the greats in Jazz under a certain Motto. Legendary are the »a tribute to« Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie etc productions with the original »All Star« line up. Also the productions »Jazz train«, "American Swing All Stars« or the »GREAT EIGHT« with Teddy Wilson p., Slam Steward b., Freddie Green g., Buddy Tate ts., Billy Butterfield tp., Red Norvo vib., Sam Woodyard d., Johny Mince cl..
After the death of the company‘s founder in 1996, the Agency was taken over by his daughter, Catherine, who grew up with her father‘s business and love of Jazz.
Following in his footsteps – but also exploring new fields of Jazz – Catherine expanded the work of the company over the borders of Europe. The artist list grew and the, until then, »mainstream« orientated program developed further through. Cooperation with first class national and international artists from all fields of Jazz–or Jazz centered music. The objective has been and still remains to present first class Jazz but of all genres. In the meantime, the main focus is composed on Vocalmusic (Take 6, Patti Austin, The Manhattan Transfer, The New York Voices) and Big BandJazz (The Count Basie Orchestra, The Clayton Hamilton Orchestra, The BBC Big Band etc.), Blues (The Three Ladies of Blues), Gospel (The Voices of Praise) and Swing (The Scott Hamilton Quartet, The New York Swing Trio, The American Swing All Stars).
The constant, over 4 decade long, success of Just Jazz speaks for itself.
It‘s exceptional reputation, the solid, decade–long cooperation with many European organizers and festivals, as well as, the constant growing circle of artists and organizers, with whom Just Jazz at home and abroad cooperates, exists as the best proof.
Just Jazz International/Konzertdirektion Gerd Mayer exists since 1960 and has become one of Europe‘s leading Jazz agencies.
A reason for the constant success of the Family business lies in its solid foundation, composed of organizers and artists who share the same goal–to look after and care for the well–being of jazz.
The founder of the company, Gerd Mayer, discovered Jazz accidentally during World War II by peeling potatoes! While performing his obligatory war service, which entailed working in the kitchen with his friends, he listened as the Nazi‘s called it »degenerative art«. Such an offence meant risking a prison sentence, yet, the Jazz fever encapsulated him and never left him. After the end of the war, as a second job, the businessman organized with his friends (who later became his colleagues), festivals, concerts, Riverboat shuffles and Jazz seminars in the areas around Essen and Düsseldorf. He even sacrificed his vacations to go on tour as a road manager.
In 1960, passion grew into a profession, and the Konzertdirektion Gerd Mayer was founded. First with partner Helmut Falk, and then after his much too early death with wife Jacqueline (first located in Velbert, Cologne than Bad Honnef), Gerd Mayer established for himself a name during the successful years of working together with the Dutch Swing College Band. With this group, Europe‘s leading Jazz band of that time, he organized numerous concerts over many years. He also influenced their career – move by contracting several US Greats, such as Jimmy Witherspoon, Teddy Wilson, Joe Venuti, Wild Bill Davidson, Bud Freeman. Working together with diverse TV Shows (Musikladen, Vergissmeinnicht, Herz ist Trumpf, Drehscheibe, aktuelle Schaubude u.v.m.) was then for a Jazz agent a daily routine.
Concerts as a local promoter were organized, bringing such big names as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley McLaine, Oscar Peterson, etc.. Gerd Mayer also put together individual AMERICAN ALL STAR BANDS with all the greats in Jazz under a certain Motto. Legendary are the »a tribute to« Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie etc productions with the original »All Star« line up. Also the productions »Jazz train«, "American Swing All Stars« or the »GREAT EIGHT« with Teddy Wilson p., Slam Steward b., Freddie Green g., Buddy Tate ts., Billy Butterfield tp., Red Norvo vib., Sam Woodyard d., Johny Mince cl..
After the death of the company‘s founder in 1996, the Agency was taken over by his daughter, Catherine, who grew up with her father‘s business and love of Jazz.
Following in his footsteps – but also exploring new fields of Jazz – Catherine expanded the work of the company over the borders of Europe. The artist list grew and the, until then, »mainstream« orientated program developed further through. Cooperation with first class national and international artists from all fields of Jazz–or Jazz centered music. The objective has been and still remains to present first class Jazz but of all genres. In the meantime, the main focus is composed on Vocalmusic (Take 6, Patti Austin, The Manhattan Transfer, The New York Voices) and Big BandJazz (The Count Basie Orchestra, The Clayton Hamilton Orchestra, The BBC Big Band etc.), Blues (The Three Ladies of Blues), Gospel (The Voices of Praise) and Swing (The Scott Hamilton Quartet, The New York Swing Trio, The American Swing All Stars).
The constant, over 4 decade long, success of Just Jazz speaks for itself.
It‘s exceptional reputation, the solid, decade–long cooperation with many European organizers and festivals, as well as, the constant growing circle of artists and organizers, with whom Just Jazz at home and abroad cooperates, exists as the best proof.
