Bassist Dave Holland will be in the city centre on Friday evening, along with saxophonist Stan Sulzmann, drummer Nate Smith and the Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Orchestra, to bid a final jazz farewell to the Adrian Boult Hall. He’ll be the last… Read More ›
The last weekend of June was always a time for jazz and blues rejoicing in my neck of the English woods, then it wasn’t, and now, I am delighted to report, it is again. That’s because for years it was… Read More ›
The healthy links between jazz and cinema continue to be explored and in innovative ways. In Birmingham on Saturday 18 June Jazzlines and The Electric Cinema collaborate on the Otto Preminger classic from 1959, Anatomy Of A Murder. James Stewart… Read More ›
Every festival worth the name deserves a Fringe, and so it is with Birmingham Conservatoire’s City Of Sounds, programmed to bid farewell to the Adrian Boult Hall. Happening in a different part of town on Friday 17 June, featuring a… Read More ›
The goodbye looks started at the beginning of May, but now we’re into the final weeks of City Of Sounds, a programme of music in all styles as a way of “saying goodbye to Birmingham Conservatoire’s Adrian Boult Hall” which… Read More ›
If you are going to try a few gigs in Birmingham this month, these are the ones I’d choose from: Wednesday 8 In Love With TDE Promotions/Fizzle, mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, 8pm, £10 French drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq has string-playing brothers to share… Read More ›
Following on from U.S. jazz improv last month which featured Ken Vandermark and Nate Wooley, TDE Promotions and Fizzle have some cutting edge music from France this month. Last time he was here drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq was In Bed With –… Read More ›
David Austin Grey is not a man to let the grass grow under his feet. It’s only five minutes ago – or so it seems – that David was presenting a multi-arts jazz/ballet/illustration project, and his band Hansu-Tori already had a… Read More ›
Sun Ra is the inspiration for the final performance of this weekend’s Legends Festival, and receiving – and passing on – the inspiration will be Sid Peacock’s jazz orchestra Surge. A key player in Surge is pianist Steve Tromans and… Read More ›
It might be the synchronicity: that I happened to be listening to some gorgeous Brazilian music at the moment (a new album by a singer I have not come across before and which I will be reviewing shortly) when I… Read More ›
I know it’s not a traditional jazz time, 10.30am, especially after a potentially busy Friday night, but hey, it’s only once in a while, so please, please, join us this coming Saturday 21 May at Saint Kitchen in St Paul’s… Read More ›
Here are the 10 gigs I consider to be the most attractive/exciting/worth-a-listen this month. Thursday 5 World Service Project Jazzlines, The Hare And Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham, 8.30pm, £10 Punchy Brit-jazz with a punk spirit from Dave Morecroft and crew…. Read More ›
Double bass player James Banner – or, rather, his alter-ego Jacques Bannière – has been in touch to tell me he is back in the country briefly and is playing the 5pm Jazzlines Free Jazz session at Symphony Hall cafe… Read More ›
Birmingham Jazz Orchestra is playing this evening at the Actress & Bishop in Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, and among their ranks will be two older men, alto saxophonist John O’Gallagher and trombonist Hans Koller. They will be playing arrangements by Koller. The band, which… Read More ›
Greek mythology, a Russian composer who died 101 years ago, jazz and live visuals all come together at the Old Joint Stock Theatre next Thursday. The man behind it is pianist, composer and currently 4th year Birmingham Conservatoire student Olly… Read More ›
A jazz festival has to be broad in appeal, especially if it wants to take some artistic risks while still remaining on good terms with its bank and its backers. It’s always been the case – just think back to Newport… Read More ›
Here are the 10 gigs I consider to be the most attractive/exciting/worth-a-listen this month. Tuesday 5 Bobtail Jazz at the Spotted Dog, Digbeth, Birmingham, 9pm, £5 donation Player of the low reeds and composer Alicia Gardener-Trejo leads an exciting large… Read More ›
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