THE CEO of the Jazz Centre UK has resigned after three years.

Mark Kass, says it is with a "heavy heart" that he has resigned as both CEO and a trustee of the jazz centre in Southend.

The Jazz Centre UK is a charity and cultural centre situated on the lower floor of the Beecroft Art Gallery in Victoria Avenue.

As well as promoting and archiving jazz music’s heritage it also supports regular performances and education.

Mr Kass said: "It has become time for me to move on. After attempting to put in mechanisms for the charity to grow its local volunteer and audience base, I feel I can no longer take the Jazz Centre UK on the journey I envisaged for it.

"My passion will though always remain to be an active ambassador for this incredible art form and all it can and does bring to the world.

"I will continue to work at grassroots and local community levels where I can help showcase the culture, diversity and heritage of jazz through education, information, performance and commercial support. Importantly, I will work tirelessly with like-minded others to spread the story and significance of all forms of jazz, change perceptions of its music and its culture as an art form and most significantly, help develop and grow audiences through both live music and other cultural media.

"Where opportunity allows, my own commercial, not-for-profit enterprise the London East Jazz Network (a division of my 'day job' at The Enterprise4Good Group and based out of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham) will continue to develop our successful 'Jazz East' live gig and festival programmes across East London and Essex with an emphasis on supporting new and emerging musicians across all genres of jazz and improvised music.

"I will also be retaining my national role on the Board of the Jazz Promotion Network, working with colleagues to help develop and grow promotional and support agendas for individuals and micro and smaller SMEs.

"In the most part, I have had an incredible, valuable and thoroughly rewarding time working alongside some fantastic characters with some phenomenal skills and deep-rooted passion for jazz at The Jazz Centre UK.

"I will of course remain a huge ambassador for its work in around Southend so take this opportunity to wish all past colleagues, trustees and fellow volunteers much success in the future."