It is with the heaviest of hearts and many tears that we have had to say au revoir to our dear friend and comrade, John Cumming. A founding member of the Europe Jazz Network, international music producers Serious and the London Jazz Festival and an inspiration to many – promoters, producers, musicians, agents, managers, record labels, journalists – almost everyone involved in jazz in Europe and beyond for the last 40 years has benefitted from John’s generous spirit and his eye and ear for inclusion and innovation, and fun.
We have gathered here below a series of comments from some present and past Presidents of the Europe Jazz Network, all of whom were dear friends and colleagues of John. Other important testimonies from many other colleagues can be found at this link, in an article put together by Martel Ollerenshaw (EJN Vice-President), a very close friend of John and his family.
Jan Ole Otnæs (Norway, current EJN President)
With the passing of John Cumming, the international jazz community has suffered a great loss. His importance cannot be overstated. He was an inspiring colleague and his curiosity, creativity, deep knowledge of music and ability to unearth and present new talent in every possible context, will be sorely missed. Across 25 years, he was my friend and mentor – I'm going to miss the good conversations, late night hangs and not least, his laughter and good humour!
Ros Rigby (UK, former EJN President)
Please read the personal tribute to John by Ros published in London Jazz News: https://londonjazznews.com/2020/05/19/john-cumming-a-personal-tribute-by-ros-rigby/
Annamaija Saarela (Finland, former EJN President)
(this message was sent to John on April 15th and she agreed to share it with us)
Dear John,
This is to let you know that you'll always be my hero, dear friend and a role model. I'll never forget your support and help. I'm sending healing power, light and love from the bottom of my heart.
Nod Knowles (UK, former EJN President)
When we heard the news that John Cumming, after a long and resolute struggle with cancer, had finally passed away, the internet was immediately flooded with a tsunami of messages to and from his friends and family and colleagues.
In one message, my daughter Freda, who worked with John for several years, wrote: ‘Today we lost a rare man. An unforgettable comrade with an immense and generous soul, John Cumming was fiercely kind, loyal, funny and astute, as well as quietly radical and deeply principled in all that he did……..A true giant of the jazz world….. A huge number of seminal projects, concerts and careers owe their existence to his brilliance and vision. John was truly a lynchpin of our musical family….. A constant source of inspiration for the whole cultural sector, worldwide, he will always be a guiding light in so many ways.’
This ‘rare man’ was not only an inspiration to my daughter and her colleagues – in his lifetime he inspired three whole generations: the older musicians and organisers who understood that he was taking their music world forward and showed him immense respect; his (and my own) generation, for whom he was an unfailing and constant presence - a mate, colleague, fun-loving reveller, comrade-in-arms, supporter, a true leader but always leading from beside us, never from above; and our children’s generation, to whom he gave boundless encouragement, motivation, advice, a generous guiding spirit, friendship and (plenty more) fun.
John’s contribution to jazz has been immeasurable. In the UK he set the standard very high and very early with the unforgettable Bracknell Jazz Festival; then the Camden Jazz Festival; and then, perhaps his crowning achievement, the London Jazz Festival. All this would be enough for most people – but with John it was all happening in the midst of an endless succession of tours, commissions, concert promotions, special projects, education programmes, agency and management support, all with seemingly limitless European and international connections.
John Cumming’s capacity for work, ideas and networking was inexhaustible – and his contribution to jazz in Europe is a prime example. One of the earliest members of EJN, John was a long-standing and permanently active Board member, energetically driving forward not only EJN’s own projects but the merger with the TECMO group and the network’s rapid expansion of membership and activity to make it one of the strongest forces on the European cultural scene.
Whenever EJN colleagues gather from now on, there will be a special, incomparable presence - one who can never be forgotten or replaced. And we’ll raise more than one glass to him, his memory and his legacy: John Cumming – a rare man, a true giant of the jazz world, and a dear, dearly missed friend.
Lars Thorborg (Denmark, former EJN President)
This week EJN lost one of its very important co-founders.
May he rest in peace.
I had deep respect for his clever and strong comments regarding our situation. He always had views regarding what we should do and what we should avoid. His knowledge regarding the jazz field and his fine sense of the political situation in Brussels was a fantastic help and support for me in the years I had the honour of being president. On top of that John was a very warm person and the British humour was outstanding. We had a lot of fun during the Board Meetings. John will stay alive in my mind for the rest of my life.
Huub van Riel (Netherlands, former EJN President)
To never hear that sound again, John starting a sentence. Sort of stumbling over himself while still in the process of fixing the most effective order in which to present a comprehensive reply along with loads of supporting and new information, argumentation, observations and -when really inspired- new ideas on top.
John as one of a kind of course perfectly fitted the essence of the music scene that made us, and makes us all meet. But one-of-a-kind very much not as a loner: instead always looking for cooperation, generously sharing information and ideas. With his unique boyish-forever enthusiasm and lovely sense of humor.
What an example for all those he has educated or inspired, as for the lot of us he has been. And surely will remain: just try to imagine future discussions (meeting rooms, bars, restaurants) without thinking at some point 'Hey, where's John?'.
Filippo Bianchi (Italy, EJN Honorary President)
I remember meeting John Cumming for the first time in April 1983 in Reggio Emilia, where I organised an “Amarcord Nino Rota”, including the Carla Bley Band. Some critics wondered “what’s Nino Rota got to do with jazz”, John said “great idea bringing Hal Willner’s idea on stage”. We spoke about Tony Oxley as a formidable time player, a subject that was almost forbidden at the time. I remember thinking “I don’t wanna lose touch with this guy”. And you bet I didn’t.
I remember, at the turn of the Century, sleeping in Kate’s room when she was in her Spice Girls period and never feeling so girly in my whole life.
I remember, in 1986, trying to promote a benefit concert for the ANC in Reggio Emilia and having to convince a number of British bands to come and perform for free in a town most of them hadn’t even heard of. John invited me to use his office in Soho as headquarters and introducing me to Pam Esterson he said “she can help”. She said “hi” and for some reasons that escapes my comprehension to this day she xeroxed the paws of the puppy she was holding in her arms. I remember thinking “journalists have their ‘five Ws’, but here we definitely have our ‘five Cs’: cool, creative, crazy, cosmopolitan, cooperative”.
I remember, during a dinner with John and Ginnie at my place in Rome, thinking “this is one of the very few people I know where the conversation is more interesting when we disagree”.
I remember a man with a sophisticated and uncompromising view of life and the arts, with a rare ability to find himself in the right place at the right moment with the right people. In fact, he was a founding member of EJN.
I remember going with John and Ginnie to Jazz at the Parliament and feeling slightly intimidated by the solemnity of the place, while they looked completely at ease, laughing and drinking with Jack DeJohnette and his wife. After John poured a few drinks I felt almost at home, to the point that while I was wandering through the corridors looking for a toilet a very kind clerk stopped me, showed me the way and added “You may wanna leave your glass of wine here Sir, no one will touch it don’t worry. You know… this is Westminster after all”…
I remember, amarcord, je me souvien, because that’s all I can do now. And he will live with me for as long as my memory will live. With all my love for Ginnie and Kate.
----
Please also read the obituary of John Cumming published by Serious, the company he co-founded and a long-standing member of EJN: https://serious.org.uk/news/2020/john-cumming-obit
Photo: John Cumming (right) with Wim Wabbes from Handelsbeurs Concert Hall in Ghent, Belgium (centre) and Xavier Lemettre from Banlieues Bleues festival in Pantin, France (left). Photo taken at the EJN social dinner of the European Jazz Conference 2015 in Budapest.
We have gathered here below a series of comments from some present and past Presidents of the Europe Jazz Network, all of whom were dear friends and colleagues of John. Other important testimonies from many other colleagues can be found at this link, in an article put together by Martel Ollerenshaw (EJN Vice-President), a very close friend of John and his family.
Jan Ole Otnæs (Norway, current EJN President)
With the passing of John Cumming, the international jazz community has suffered a great loss. His importance cannot be overstated. He was an inspiring colleague and his curiosity, creativity, deep knowledge of music and ability to unearth and present new talent in every possible context, will be sorely missed. Across 25 years, he was my friend and mentor – I'm going to miss the good conversations, late night hangs and not least, his laughter and good humour!
Ros Rigby (UK, former EJN President)
Please read the personal tribute to John by Ros published in London Jazz News: https://londonjazznews.com/2020/05/19/john-cumming-a-personal-tribute-by-ros-rigby/
Annamaija Saarela (Finland, former EJN President)
(this message was sent to John on April 15th and she agreed to share it with us)
Dear John,
This is to let you know that you'll always be my hero, dear friend and a role model. I'll never forget your support and help. I'm sending healing power, light and love from the bottom of my heart.
Nod Knowles (UK, former EJN President)
When we heard the news that John Cumming, after a long and resolute struggle with cancer, had finally passed away, the internet was immediately flooded with a tsunami of messages to and from his friends and family and colleagues.
In one message, my daughter Freda, who worked with John for several years, wrote: ‘Today we lost a rare man. An unforgettable comrade with an immense and generous soul, John Cumming was fiercely kind, loyal, funny and astute, as well as quietly radical and deeply principled in all that he did……..A true giant of the jazz world….. A huge number of seminal projects, concerts and careers owe their existence to his brilliance and vision. John was truly a lynchpin of our musical family….. A constant source of inspiration for the whole cultural sector, worldwide, he will always be a guiding light in so many ways.’
This ‘rare man’ was not only an inspiration to my daughter and her colleagues – in his lifetime he inspired three whole generations: the older musicians and organisers who understood that he was taking their music world forward and showed him immense respect; his (and my own) generation, for whom he was an unfailing and constant presence - a mate, colleague, fun-loving reveller, comrade-in-arms, supporter, a true leader but always leading from beside us, never from above; and our children’s generation, to whom he gave boundless encouragement, motivation, advice, a generous guiding spirit, friendship and (plenty more) fun.
John’s contribution to jazz has been immeasurable. In the UK he set the standard very high and very early with the unforgettable Bracknell Jazz Festival; then the Camden Jazz Festival; and then, perhaps his crowning achievement, the London Jazz Festival. All this would be enough for most people – but with John it was all happening in the midst of an endless succession of tours, commissions, concert promotions, special projects, education programmes, agency and management support, all with seemingly limitless European and international connections.
John Cumming’s capacity for work, ideas and networking was inexhaustible – and his contribution to jazz in Europe is a prime example. One of the earliest members of EJN, John was a long-standing and permanently active Board member, energetically driving forward not only EJN’s own projects but the merger with the TECMO group and the network’s rapid expansion of membership and activity to make it one of the strongest forces on the European cultural scene.
Whenever EJN colleagues gather from now on, there will be a special, incomparable presence - one who can never be forgotten or replaced. And we’ll raise more than one glass to him, his memory and his legacy: John Cumming – a rare man, a true giant of the jazz world, and a dear, dearly missed friend.
Lars Thorborg (Denmark, former EJN President)
This week EJN lost one of its very important co-founders.
May he rest in peace.
I had deep respect for his clever and strong comments regarding our situation. He always had views regarding what we should do and what we should avoid. His knowledge regarding the jazz field and his fine sense of the political situation in Brussels was a fantastic help and support for me in the years I had the honour of being president. On top of that John was a very warm person and the British humour was outstanding. We had a lot of fun during the Board Meetings. John will stay alive in my mind for the rest of my life.
Huub van Riel (Netherlands, former EJN President)
To never hear that sound again, John starting a sentence. Sort of stumbling over himself while still in the process of fixing the most effective order in which to present a comprehensive reply along with loads of supporting and new information, argumentation, observations and -when really inspired- new ideas on top.
John as one of a kind of course perfectly fitted the essence of the music scene that made us, and makes us all meet. But one-of-a-kind very much not as a loner: instead always looking for cooperation, generously sharing information and ideas. With his unique boyish-forever enthusiasm and lovely sense of humor.
What an example for all those he has educated or inspired, as for the lot of us he has been. And surely will remain: just try to imagine future discussions (meeting rooms, bars, restaurants) without thinking at some point 'Hey, where's John?'.
Filippo Bianchi (Italy, EJN Honorary President)
I remember meeting John Cumming for the first time in April 1983 in Reggio Emilia, where I organised an “Amarcord Nino Rota”, including the Carla Bley Band. Some critics wondered “what’s Nino Rota got to do with jazz”, John said “great idea bringing Hal Willner’s idea on stage”. We spoke about Tony Oxley as a formidable time player, a subject that was almost forbidden at the time. I remember thinking “I don’t wanna lose touch with this guy”. And you bet I didn’t.
I remember, at the turn of the Century, sleeping in Kate’s room when she was in her Spice Girls period and never feeling so girly in my whole life.
I remember, in 1986, trying to promote a benefit concert for the ANC in Reggio Emilia and having to convince a number of British bands to come and perform for free in a town most of them hadn’t even heard of. John invited me to use his office in Soho as headquarters and introducing me to Pam Esterson he said “she can help”. She said “hi” and for some reasons that escapes my comprehension to this day she xeroxed the paws of the puppy she was holding in her arms. I remember thinking “journalists have their ‘five Ws’, but here we definitely have our ‘five Cs’: cool, creative, crazy, cosmopolitan, cooperative”.
I remember, during a dinner with John and Ginnie at my place in Rome, thinking “this is one of the very few people I know where the conversation is more interesting when we disagree”.
I remember a man with a sophisticated and uncompromising view of life and the arts, with a rare ability to find himself in the right place at the right moment with the right people. In fact, he was a founding member of EJN.
I remember going with John and Ginnie to Jazz at the Parliament and feeling slightly intimidated by the solemnity of the place, while they looked completely at ease, laughing and drinking with Jack DeJohnette and his wife. After John poured a few drinks I felt almost at home, to the point that while I was wandering through the corridors looking for a toilet a very kind clerk stopped me, showed me the way and added “You may wanna leave your glass of wine here Sir, no one will touch it don’t worry. You know… this is Westminster after all”…
I remember, amarcord, je me souvien, because that’s all I can do now. And he will live with me for as long as my memory will live. With all my love for Ginnie and Kate.
----
Please also read the obituary of John Cumming published by Serious, the company he co-founded and a long-standing member of EJN: https://serious.org.uk/news/2020/john-cumming-obit
Photo: John Cumming (right) with Wim Wabbes from Handelsbeurs Concert Hall in Ghent, Belgium (centre) and Xavier Lemettre from Banlieues Bleues festival in Pantin, France (left). Photo taken at the EJN social dinner of the European Jazz Conference 2015 in Budapest.
