Here the energy and fun which had built steadily during the first half erupted not only in a musically circling mass saxophone solo, but a physically circling piano solo. Source: LondonJazz: REVIEW: Duke Ellington’s We Love You Madly at Birmingham… Read More ›
birmingham conservatoire
John Abercrombie & Marc Copland
Birmingham Conservatoire Recital Hall, Birmingham UK 28-11-2016 In the aftermath of 9/11 chances to see and hear U.S. jazz greats dropped dramatically and they have never really recovered. So when we get the chance, the moment is to be seized;… Read More ›
My top five Midland gigs – November 2016
If you are going to try a few gigs in the English Midlands this month, these are the ones I’d choose from first: Saturday 12 Andrew Bain Embodied Hope Quartet Jazzlines, CBSO Centre, Birmingham 8pm, £12.50 The drummer’s Transatlantic all-star band playing Bain’s… Read More ›
Hope embodied in the sound of drums
Andrew Bain, drummer, band leader and senior lecturer at Birmingham Conservatoire, is back on the road. This is the second of year of Andrew’s PhD – have you noticed that academic study is now not just a worthy undertaking in… Read More ›
Ben Lee – October 2016
Ben Lee is from Devon, got into guitar playing Blink 182 songs, studied at Exeter College and Birmingham Conservatoire, and graduated last year. Since then he has worked with his Quintet, with Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and other bands, on a cruise ship… Read More ›
Birmingham Jazz Orchestra will squeeze five cities onto the Symphony Hall stage
On Wednesday evening next week Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and their audience will sit on the Symphony Hall stage. But we will all be travelling- to Moscow, Stockholm and Reykjavik up north, to Bilbao and Marrakech down south. And we’ll be… Read More ›
Jacky Naylor – September 2016
Jacky Naylor grew up in Skipton, North Yorkshire, studied piano, and won a scholarship to study at Birmingham Conservatoire’s jazz course, from which he graduated with first class honours. While at the Conservatoire he developed his interest in composition and in writing… Read More ›
So farewell, Adrian Boult Hall…
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 ›
Birmingham Conservatoire student in the BBC Young Musician jazz finals
The five musicians who will go through to the final of the BBC Young Musician 2016 Jazz Award have been announced. And they include Birmingham Conservatoire final year student Elliott Sansom. Sansom (21) is a pianist and he joins Alexandra… Read More ›
Hear what an inspiring big band sounds like tonight
“John and Nichola Ruddick are a real inspiration to me… [they] work constantly to keep the band going, and continue to inspire young musicians. The band sounds great and so many professional players come out of the band.” That’s a quote from… Read More ›
Nick Dewhurst – January 2016
Trumpeter Nick Dewhurst was born and bred in my hometown of Lichfield – he still lives here. Despite seeing him in person every couple of weeks, it was still most convenient to meet in the ether of email for this… Read More ›
How was 2015 for jazz in Birmingham…
For jazz lovers in Birmingham, 2015 was a year of increasingly strong pub gigs, a new festival and a much-heralded visit by one of jazz’s most important contemporary composers and band leaders. The contribution that the many graduates (and current… Read More ›
MSJO Residency Quintet
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 20-11-2015 The five members of the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra could have chosen to treat this as a kind of after-show jam, content to take the stand with no prior plans, loosen their ties and unwind in… Read More ›
Apply now for NYJO’s Birmingham auditions
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra continues its search for the best young jazz talent outside London as well as in the capital with a visit to Birmingham in January. NYJO has visited Leeds and Manchester in previous years. It also… Read More ›
Celebrating John Taylor – Birmingham Conservatoire concert plus tributes
The death of the pianist John Taylor in July this year left a huge and hugely unexpected hole in jazz: in British jazz, in international jazz and in jazz education. Birmingham Conservatoire’s jazz department is keen to mark his contribution to… Read More ›
Andrew Bain – October 2015
Andrew Bain is a well-known drummer and teacher. Originally from Edinburgh, he has studied in London and New York and is now contributing his considerable talents and buoyant positive energy to the Birmingham scene. We spoke about his new job, about his… Read More ›
Michael Janisch’s Paradigm Shift
Review and picture by John Watson Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham UK 08-10-2015 A wealth of imaginative, engaging jazz has been produced by bands that expertly bridge the styles of free-flowing acoustic jazz and electronic styles, but Michael Janisch’s Paradigm Shift must… Read More ›
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