Digby Fairweather

Digby Fairweather is a life-long Patron of the Archive and was founder of the National Jazz Archive in 1988. He also founded the Jazz Centre UK in 2016, where he is Creative Director and Trustee.

Richard ‘Digby’ Fairweather was a librarian before becoming a professional musician and retains an interest in jazz history and bibliography.  A trumpeter and cornetist influenced by classical jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, he started leading his own bands in the early 1970s. He continues to play and has collaborated with many celebrated UK artists over the years including George Chisholm, Alex Welsh, George Melly and fellow National Jazz Archive Patron Paul Jones.

Apart from his playing and band leading, Fairweather has long pursued a parallel career as a jazz broadcaster and writer. In 1992 he also established the Association of British Jazz Musicians.

Back to Our Patrons