Here is a list of gigs across the English Midlands for the next 31 days. I don’t claim it’s comprehensive at all – these are just the gigs I know about and/or think thejazzbreakfast readers might be interested in. (Want your gig added? See note at end.)
1 TUESDAY
Han-earl Park/Dominic Lash/Mark Sanders/Caroline Pugh plus Lee Griffiths/Olly Chalk
Ireland-based Improviser Park with an exciting line-up of English musicians.
Fizzle | The Lamp Tavern 7.30pm | £5
Euan Burton Quartet
Scottish bassist touring UK-wide with his contemporary quartet.
Jazz at the Spotted Dog | Spotted Dog, Digbeth 9pm | £5 suggested donation
2 WEDNESDAY
FOOD feat. Percy Pursglove
Anglo-Norwegian boundary-pushers team up with rising British star.
Fizzle/TDE Promotions | Midland Arts Centre 7.30pm | £10/£8
3 THURSDAY
Hot Club Five
They’re hot and they’re five of them.
Jazzlines | Bramall Music Building, Univ of Birmingham 5pm | Free
Jazz Composers Ensemble
New writing from Birmingham Conservatoire students.
Birmingham Conservatoire Recital Hall 7.45pm | £6.50/£4

Stuart McCallum
Jim Watson Quartet
Local boy does good…
Jazz Steps | Bonington Theatre, Arnold, Notts 8pm | £12
Stuart McCallum
Cinematic Orchestra guitarist with his attractive modern jazz fusion.
Jazzlines | Hare & Hounds 8:30pm | £10
Blue Notes Jam Night
Resident band invites all for an evening of great jazz and jamming.
Silvershine Jazz Club | Bearwood Corks Club Social, Smethwick, 9pm | £4/£3
4 FRIDAY
Urban Soul Family
City rhythms for the end of the working week.
Jazzlines | Symphony Hall Foyer 5pm | Free
Pigfoot
21st Century acid trad.
Derby Jazz | The Cube, Deda, Derby 8pm |£10
6 SUNDAY
Jazz Jam
All-comers jam with pro rhythm team.
Shrewsbury Jazz Network | The Hive, Shrewsbury 2.30pm | £3
JQ Jam Session
Spot the big names of tomorrow.
The Brown Lion 7.30pm | Free
7 MONDAY
Andrew Bain and Percy Pursglove
The Pure Sessions with guest players.
Purecraft Bar & Kitchen 7.30pm | Free
8 TUESDAY
Rebecca Nash Quartet
Exciting, contemporary quartet from this creative pianist and bandleader.
Jazz at the Spotted Dog | Spotted Dog, Digbeth 9pm | £5 suggested donation
9 WEDNESDAY
Mitch Perrins
Drummer/composer back from New York with Percy Pursglove on trumpet
Stratford Jazz | No.1, Stratford-upon-Avon 8pm | £12
10 THURSDAY
Tony Kofi
The saxophonist who “fell into jazz”.
Silvershine Jazz Club | Bearwood Corks Club Social, Smethwick, 9pm | £5/£4
11 FRIDAY
Sam Coombes Trio
Saxophonist with a new album just out.
Jazzlines | Symphony Hall Foyer 5pm | Free
A Jazz Christmas Carol – Alan Barnes Octet
Fun for the whole family – a real cracker.
Derby Jazz | Robert Ludlum Theatre, Derby 7.30pm | £13
Tori Freestone Trio
Robust tenor and flute led original compositions.
Leicester Jazz House | Attenborough Arts, Leicester 8pm | £10
Roots & Herbs: ‘The Blakey Project’
Former Jazz Messenger Jean Toussaint pays tribute to his old boss.
Jazzlines | CBSO Centre 8:30pm | £15
13 SUNDAY
JQ Jam Session
Spot the big names of tomorrow.
The Brown Lion 7.30pm | Free
14 MONDAY
Andrew Bain and Percy Pursglove
The Pure Sessions with guest players.
Purecraft Bar & Kitchen 7.30pm | Free
15 TUESDAY
David Birchall/Colin Webster/Andy Cheetham/Otto Willberg plus Andrew Woodhead/Hannah Marshall/Alicia Gardener-Trejo
Free Jazz from Webster’s quartet and a new collaboration from Woodhead.
Fizzle | The Lamp Tavern 7.30pm | £5

Jonathan Silk
Christmas Big Band Special
Christmas party featuring the Jonathan Silk Big band and special guests.
Jazz at the Spotted Dog | Spotted Dog, Digbeth 9pm | £5 suggested donation
16 WEDNESDAY
Woodhead duo
Pianist Andrew Woodhead and reeds player Alicia Gardener-Trejo play standards and originals.
Bread Collection, Knowle 6.30pm | Free (but you must book a meal)
17 THURSDAY
Led Bib
Groove, improv, thrash and more.
Jazz Steps | Bonington Theatre, Arnold, Notts, 8pm | £12
Steve King Big Band
Big Band Jazzy Merry Christmas!
Silvershine Jazz Club | Bearwood Corks Club Social, Smethwick, 9pm | £6/£5
18 FRIDAY
Notebenders – Sax in the City Christmas Special
The community big band decks the halls.
Jazzlines | Symphony Hall Foyer 5pm | Free
Young Pilgrims/Manos Pa’Arriba
Christmas mash-up.
Pilgrimage | The Sun At The Station 8.30pm | £6
- If your gig is not here please add it as a comment to this post and in due course I’ll try to include it in the main list. In the meantime, there it will be in the comments. Please try to stick to the same format as in the main post, and keep it to the English Midlands. I don’t want this to become too wordy with descriptions – those are for me to compose elsewhere in this site in the Live Preview category. Just stick to the facts!
Categories: Diary
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