Their efforts will provide more information for the Loughton-based National Jazz Archive by interviewing Essex musicians and recording samples of their work. The project, being run by Essex on Tour, will span generations as it links local schools with musicians and runs workshops to explore the history of jazz in Essex and its influence on other musical styles.

Research and oral history interviews will help create a travelling exhibition that will visit every Essex library as well as going on permanent display at Loughton Library where the national archive is held. The exhibition will also visit ten schools and will be made available to other organisations, including museums, galleries and performing arts colleges. A documentary film will be made of the project and this will kept at the National Jazz Archive and Essex Records Office.

Live performances at schools will be co-ordinated by Essex County Council's Music Services and an education resource pack will be created as an aid for local teachers.

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: "Essex has a rich musical heritage; jazz and the stories this music shares is important to many people. Through this project, young people and jazz enthusiasts will have a fantastic opportunity to work together, using local archives and oral histories to develop a deeper understanding of our music history."

Tony Morrison, Essex Jazz on Tour Co-ordinator, said: “We are really grateful to the HLF for supporting this project. It has been in development for a long time and we now really excited to be able to start work on it. It is fantastic to be able to bring together the NJA, Essex Music Services, Essex County Council and Essex Library Services as partners to deliver this and help create new working relationships between them. We can’t wait to see what stories the musicians and jazz promoters come up with to create the exhibition and look forward to the launch at Chelmsford Library in September when everyone gets together. It’s going to be some gig!!”

Notes to editors

Essex On Tour is part of Essex County Council overseen by the authority’s Arts Development Team.

In 2011 the National Jazz Archive received an HLF grant of £346,300 to catalogue and conserve its records, and widen access to its collections through providing online resources, promoting the archive to the general public and providing learning events and materials to enable schools, groups and researchers to make use of it.

Further information

HLF press office: Vicky Wilford on 020 7591 6046 / 07973 401937, email: vickyw@hlf.org.uk or Phil Cooper on 07889 949 173.

Essex on Tour: Tony Morrison, Co-ordinator on 01245 244 647 / 07966 390 802.