There is much more than stepping on stage and play to make a show like Not Just Jazz 5. Truth be told, the live music experience goes well beyond having music played live somewhere; if that was not the case, concerts as we know them -spectacles of multi-faceted artistic performance– would not exist. Team effort, of course, is essential, and here I would like to get the unsung heroes who work behind the scene into the spotlight.

Vince is the one in charge of the sound. He has worked with me since the beginning, and his advice in regards of PA equipment (meaning microphones, speakers, and so on) has been very valuable through my career. I am always grateful to count with his advice and technical knowledge, and this time, he will bring his colleague Anthony to make live sound-recording.

In the lighting department, we will have Jack Tustin, who, before anything, I would like to congratulate for the beautiful baby that just joined his family, and, of course, I thank him for saving the time to collaborate with Not Just Jazz 5 anyway. It makes me happy, because ever since I met Jack back at the Crescent theater, I look forward to working with him in all my productions.

Chris Mair, head of Treehouse Ltd, will provide the video recording for the show. He did it last year with the help of his partner and team, and I really liked his approach and attitude. As they got excellent takes last time, I am excited to see the visuals they manage to capture this year.

I met Chris thanks to Laurence, who is my stage manager for Not Just Jazz. Things can get a bit chaotic when everybody is rushing to get their job done on time, which makes Laurence essential to keep things organized and resolve the problems that emerge in a fast and effective way. Laurence is full of energy and enthusiasm, and to see him enjoying his role gives me just the right boost to keep cool and give my best as well.

Last but not least, I want to thank my husband Michael for the indefatigable support he has given me. Michael helps me bounce ideas and plan, and he also knows his way around the technical stuff, which has been super helpful along the way. This year has been difficult for him, but that has not stopped him from being the wonderful and caring man I share my life with, and for that, I feel blessed.

This team, along with my incredible band and back singers, fellow musicians, dancers, and the stylists and PR in charge of my image, are to thank for the wonder of Not Just Jazz 5. I really hope I can share the fruits of this amazing collective effort with all of you in a sold-out, unforgettable evening. Do you want to join? The concert is tomorrow, Friday July 26, and the tickets can be found here: https://millicentstephenson.com/njj5tickets2019/