Ian Storror

Ian Storror

I became the licensee of the Albert Inn at the ripe old age of 21 in 1979.

My love of jazz music led to putting on events in the bar of the 90-capacity venue, which grew year on year. Starting the music in 1983 the venue developed a national and international reputation as one of the finest live music venues of its kind. Each year over 50 jazz events and latterly a similar number of acoustic music events took place, all in a 22-year period attracting over 750,000 people. I established long-term contacts with diverse musicians from all over the world, which are still ongoing and fruitful today.

Acoustic events covered traditional English, Scottish and Irish Folk music, singer songwriters and country/blues styles, with my partner Lorraine Carpenter programming The Albert Hole Acoustic Music Club. Live and recorded work at The Albert followed, for BBC Radio 2 broadcasts and a TV series of 7 x 1 hour programmes “Live at the Albert”, made for HTV television and screened locally and nationally. Other broadcast work included the “Giants of Jazz” series for BBC Radio Bristol

The Albert also played hosts to artists who were touring as part of the Arts Council of England, South West Jazz, Contemporary Music Network, Serious Ltd and in association with Jed Williams of the Brecon Jazz Festival. I also commissioned two original contemporary compositions with assistance from South West Arts:

Awards and featured publications:

  • ‘Highly recommended Venue’ (European musicians ensemble association)
  • 10th in ‘The 50 best music venues in the country’ guide (Independent on Sunday)
  • Top five in ‘best music pubs guide’ (Roger Prost)
  • ‘A Building a better Bristol’ award from Bristol Chamber of Commerce:
  • “In recognition of a valuable contribution to enhancing the City for the benefit of all who visit, live and work in Bristol”.
  • Awarded Best jazz venue 1996 and 1998 by the musicians themselves through Jazz Services (Arts Council of England).

In all I’ve overseen and organised over 2,800 events in a variety of settings, some established venues, some just spaces which I transformed to create a concert evening.

Other venues also utilised during this period included:

(For full details and artists used please refer to ‘Archives’ page)

  • The Tobacco Factory, Bedminster, Bristol: Playing a leading role in establishing the building in the first three years of its inception:
  • Marlborough Jazz Festival: Commissioned to programme a stage at the festival to represent the activities of Jazz at the Albert
  • Bristol Cathedral, College Green: A commercial event held for the entertainment of delegates to an International Conference of Neuroendocrinology held in Bristol over a week in November 2001.
  • The Watershed Media Centre: City Docks in October 1993. ‘International Guitar Spectacular’
  • Bristol Music Festival: Held Jazz and Poetry events in derelict buildings owned by Bristol City Council
  • Bristol University, Anson Rooms: Anti-Apartheid fundraiser
  • Bristol Carling Academy: Organised and promoted a Serious produced tour with ‘The Future Sounds of Jazz’ group
  • Bristol Industrial Museum, City Docks:Two jazz events: Jamie Cullum Quartet, Ubizo (members of South African band Amampondo with Alan Skidmore)
  • “The South of the River Show”: At The Albert, Union Chapel, Windmill Hill City Farm and outdoors in Victoria Park over the three years run of the festival of arts.
  • Hard Rock Café, Baldwin Street: A series of jazz events
  • Jongleurs Comedy Club, Baldwin Street:A series of acoustic events

Since leaving The Albert in 2005: I promoted 21 music events in three years at Bordeaux Quay in the docks area of Bristol. As Manager/Promoter at Jazz at Future Inns at a new Bristol hotel in Cabot Circus, for 18 months I programmed and produced over 130 gigs. I am now independently promoting as ‘Jazz@ the Albert’ and I’m using a diverse set of venues to more readily adapt and tailor them to artist and audience requirements.