Lynne Gornall & Roger Cannon: Brecon's Jazz Architects

The spirit of jazz in Wales has always been more than music — it’s about community, creativity, and representation. Few events reflect that ethos more clearly than the Brecon Jazz Festival, an internationally respected celebration of jazz that has been running since 1984.

Originally launched to showcase jazz from across the world in the Brecon Beacons and Welsh countryside, Brecon Jazz has grown into a platform for local, national, and global artists, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. The festival has featured headline acts from around the world, while also championing Welsh jazz talent — including women musicians often underrepresented on major festival stages.

In this part of the soundwalk, you’ll hear from Lynne Gornall and Roger Cannon, key figures in the festival’s modern era. Lynne leads the discussion in this section, while Roger can be heard agreeing in the background.

Lynne Gornall is a former academic, researcher, now jazz promoter and festival producer. She was an early supporter of Women in Jazz initiatives, which promotes women performers and composers through concerts, mentoring, and research. She has been instrumental in reshaping the Brecon Jazz programme to focus on equality, education, and collaboration.

Roger Cannon is a long-standing jazz aficionado, educator/researcher and co-organiser of Brecon Jazz. Together, they have worked with partners, developing networks, that extend the reach of the festival and support its vision and processes.

Their work shares deep parallels with Jazz Heritage Wales — particularly in its commitment to amplifying the contributions of women, working-class artists, and underrepresented voices in jazz history.

At this location, you are also listening to "The Nameless", composed by Deborah Glenister and performed the Iridium Collective, recorded live at the Elysium Bar in Swansea. The track captures the group’s commitment to improvisation, emotional depth, and collaborative storytelling through sound — resonating with the same spirit of inclusivity and innovation that drives Brecon Jazz.