As some of may have heard, Mau Mau Bar – the home of the Jazz re:freshed weekly live residency for 16 years and 7 months – has been sold. We were expecting to be a part of the new set up, however, certain important factors have prevented us from being able to do that.

So, it is with great sadness, but even greater pride that we are saying goodbye to the place where it all started. Being able to put on a weekly event consistently in the same venue for over 16 years is a privilege that we always appreciated and never took for granted – especially in a world where music venues close and reshape so frequently.

We are extremely proud to have hosted some INCREDIBLE nights at Mau Mau and created some very special memories for many people, including ourselves. We’ve been privileged to have witnessed hundreds of bands and thousands of musicians take the Mau Mau stage to express their incredible talents. That stage has hosted legends and debuted many projects, bands and musicians that have become giants in our scene, and for this we are immensely proud and privileged.

We always knew, from the very beginning, that a day would come where we would have to leave Mau Mau and although we would have hoped that it would’ve been under different circumstances, that time has come.

So, what does this all mean? Firstly, we would like to let you know that THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE WEEKLY RESIDENCY. We have no intention of stopping or ending it at this time. There are too many bands and musicians, creating too much incredible music, that will need the type of space, service and audience that we have facilitated for a number of years. Our mission in this regard is far from complete.

We have been and are actively looking for a new home for the Jazz re:freshed weekly live residency and we are having several discussions with potential new spaces (recommendations welcome). This will mean that there will be an extended hiatus until a new place is sorted, which hopefully will not be too long.

That which was created and evolved at Mau Mau was indeed very special and moving to a new space will feel strange and different for us, as well as the musicians and the audience alike. However, we must remember that what makes the residency special isn’t the venue, location or even the space. It is the people – the musicians, the audience and the team – that create the energy and the vibes necessary for a special event. This equation will not change.

As individuals and as a team, whilst honouring and respecting the past, Jazz re:freshed has always been forward-thinking, progressive and positive. So, we are looking at this situation as an opportunity to progress and evolve the residency, and although it will take a while to adjust to new surroundings, we will do our very best to make sure that this situation is proved to be a positive step in our endeavors.

Thanks again for your continued support and here’s to the future.

jazz re:freshed