Nurturing jazz talent: How PPL supports Tomorrow’s Warriors’ mission to shape the next generation of musicians

Giving back to music sits at the core of PPL. While we exist to collect and distribute revenue for performers and recording rightsholders, we are also proud to support initiatives committed to creating a sustainable future for the music industry.

PPL Giving, launched earlier this year, is our annual £1 million programme designed to support organisations which champion and develop the musical performer community.

Among the many organisations benefiting from its support is Tomorrow’s Warriors, a pioneering talent development organisation and charity that has been nurturing jazz talent for over 30 years.

Who are Tomorrow’s Warriors?

Founded by jazz luminaries Gary Crosby OBE and Janine Irons OBE in 1991, Tomorrow’s Warriors helps young, emerging, and established jazz artists reach their full potential. They do this by offering development programs and performance opportunities that inspire creativity and growth. Their mission encompasses

• Crafting and delivering development programs and performance for artists at all stages of their careers.
• Cultivating diverse audiences for jazz music.
• Fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for both musicians and audiences.

How PPL Giving supports Tomorrow’s Warriors

PPL Giving aims to fund initiatives that promote equal opportunities, embrace a wide range of musical genres and reach across the UK – goals that closely align with those of Tomorrow’s Warriors.

Our support includes backing for their I AM WARRIOR event, an annual live show hosted at the Jazz Café in London, and participating in their free summer jazz school, Summer Runnings.

We also supported their Summer Runnings 2024 program, a free jazz summer school that offers workshops, masterclasses, and industry day sessions, designed to inspire and support the next generation of jazz musicians. We took part in the panel discussion ‘Make Money from Music – Royalties, Licensing and Publishing 101’ during its dedicated music industry day.

The impact of PPL Giving’s support

I AM WARRIOR is a celebration of new jazz collaborations, featuring performances by award-winning alumni and the next generation of talented jazz artists. This year, the special guest composers included Joe Armon-Jones, award-winning bassist Daniel Casimir, drummer Rod Youngs, tenor saxophonist Maddy Coombs, and alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner.

The Tomorrow’s Warriors Soon Come Ensemble, composed of emerging jazz musicians, performed new works alongside these special guests. Watch a clip from the night below:

Sharing her thoughts on the event, Janine said: “Huge thanks to PPL for making the whole I AM WARRIOR project possible. The project not only embodies our ethos of ‘Each One Teach One’, building inter-generational bridges that ensures knowledge is shared and past on, but also centred on the core elements of what makes jazz so exciting – collaboration and live performance.

Without PPL’s support we would not have been able to commission our alumni to write the new compositions that formed the backbone of this initiative and provided such a development opportunity for the young musicians involved. Our young musicians were given the chance to work alongside established artists, many of whom have headlined venues and festivals here in the UK and internationally. They were able to be part of the creative process of bringing this amazing new music to life, and they were able to share the stage with the very musicians they have seen transform the UK jazz scene in recent times.

“The opportunity to see what you can be is an empowering moment,” Janine adds. “To then be given the chance to stand up and embody that opportunity is a very special thing indeed. I AM WARRIOR has provided so many ‘giant steps’ moments to every single one of the musicians involved, helping them develop both musically and as performing artists. Thank you once again for supporting this exciting and transformational programme.”

Tomorrow’s Warriors’ story is a wonderful example of how PPL Giving is making a positive impact on the music industry. By supporting diverse and far-reaching initiatives like this, PPL Giving is helping to build a vibrant and inclusive musical future.

Find out more about PPL Giving and the organisations we support here