Review by Robbie Fearon Birmingham Town Hall 21-05-2017 When Terri Lyne Carrington put the original Mosaic Project (Concord Jazz) together in 2011, it featured a rotating cast of all-star female jazz musicians. The project’s second album from 2015 was in… Read More ›
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 ›
Review and pictures by John Watson Town Hall, Birmingham UK 21-11-2016 “I don’t have a reputation for doing anything cheerful,” Madeleine Peyroux told her audience, with a grin. “But I’m working on breaking that mould.” I like the texture of… Read More ›
Review and pictures by John Watson Town Hall, Birmingham UK 20-11-2016 “This one is for the ladies . . .” – Herbie Hancock, Town Hall, Birmingham, 1975. “This one is for the ladies . . .” - Robert Glasper, Town… Read More ›
The Necks, the piano trio that sounds like no other, is doing something different in Birmingham Town Hall next month. Necks pianist Chris Abrahams will be using the Town Hall organ with Tony Buck on drums and Lloyd Swanton on… Read More ›
Town Hall, Birmingham UK 28-10-2015 Marcus Miller took to the Town Hall stage at the centre of his centre of his six-piece band – from left to right Alex Han on alto and soprano saxophones, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Brett Williams on keyboards, Mino Cinelu on percussion, Alex… Read More ›
Marcus Miller, bassist extraordinaire, producer and arranger who has revitalised some legendary careers in his time, and UNESCO Slave Route Project spokesperson, is coming to Birmingham for a concert in Town Hall on Wednesday 28 October. He’s also playing other… Read More ›
… those Autumn gigs of red and gold. It’s September and the jazz world has shaken the beach sand from between its toes and got back to work. There is loads to look forward to – and in many cases to… Read More ›
The Mike Fletcher Trio – Mike on saxophones and flute, Olie Brice on double bass and Jeff Williams on drums – have been on tour round some of Europe’s finest concert halls over the past months. It’s all part of Mike’s… Read More ›
Town Hall, Birmingham UK 10-02-2015 Oh dear. I thought we had got past all this. Shortly after Birmingham’s Town Hall re-opened back in 2007 I remember reviewing a jazz concert there and bemoaning the atrocious sound quality of the PA system…. Read More ›
At 17 he was playing in the Duke Ellington Orchestra, by 21 he was in the Mel Lewis Orchestra and was also with Charles Mingus’s drummer Dannie Richmond. He would go on to perform with everyone from Art Blakey and Miles Davis… Read More ›
Birmingham Town Hall 31-05-2014 I went to see the comedian Stewart Lee earlier this year. What I found so fascinating about his performance was that not only did it fulfil all the criteria of a superb evening of comedy, but… Read More ›
Two fine groups compete for our attendance this evening. In Birmingham the jazz trio Phronesis plays in Birmingham Town Hall while in Wolverhampton the jazz meets nu-soul outfit Slowly Rolling Camera is at the Arena Theatre. Phronesis has the piano, double… Read More ›
The Danish double bass player was out on the road with Phronesis – with English pianist Ivo Neame and Swedish drummer Anton Eger – playing dates around this country on the back of the band’s superb new album Life To Everything. They are at… Read More ›
This jam-packed West Midland jazz week shows the full range of the genre with music from acoustic to electronic played by musicians from Birmingham students to some of the biggest international names in the business. Here are the highlights. First… Read More ›
The Midlands’ instrumental jazz highlight of the week is a double shiner: two opportunities to hear the Tord Gustavsen Quartet, in Birmingham on Friday and in Wolverhampton on Sunday. The Norwegian musician feels that with their latest recording, Extended Circle,… Read More ›
Even if you go to a lot of jazz gigs in a year, if just one of them is Phronesis – bassist Jasper Høiby, pianist Ivo Neame and drummer Anton Eger – then I think I can fairly safely assume… Read More ›
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