Edinburgh Napier University

  Definitions and roles of the promoter within the ecology of the music industries have over recent years become the subject of attention by academics working within the eld of popular music studies. It has become accepted that precise de nitions are dif cult to apply, due to both the varied understanding of the term ‘promoter’, and the diverse nature of their activities. Where the promoter is the conduit between artist and audience, the ways and means by which this is manifested vary greatly between individuals, and the professional and personal circumstances in which they operate. Rather than further attempting to provide distinct de nitions as applied to the promoter, this article aims to offer a nuanced examination of the motivations, professional networks and occupational challenges that contribute to the self-perceptions of ve promoters working in the context of a local jazz scene within an undisclosed city in the United Kingdom.