He’s been sharing his Deep Thoughts on this website for a while, but now Birmingham-based Steve Tromans is doing his double thing – philosophical discourse and jazz performance – on Soundcloud. He writes: “I’ve recently recorded an improvised talk on jazz… Read More ›
The Crossing, Digbeth, Birmingham UK 27-11-2015 This was the second night of bassist Chris Mapp’s quartet with a guest musician. Maja Ratkje was the first night’s guest, and the Norwegian vocalist/composer/improviser had stayed on to play a first half solo, which… Read More ›
… and we all know what gets generated when that happens in red algae: gonimoblast, right?! That’s what I have been able to suss out, anyway, from an online dictionary and from that jolly useful thing created by Jimmy Wales. Luckily… Read More ›
Birmingham-based bass player Chris Mapp releases new recordings from his band Gonimoblast on Bandcamp today. They go be the collective title Always Darkness Before Dawnn. Gonimoblast boasts an impressive line-up of Chris on bass and electronics, Mark Sanders on drums and percussion,… Read More ›
Jazzlines, Birmingham’s Town Hall and Symphony Hall jazz strand, has announced full details not only of its Fellowship scheme, a mentoring project for young musicians which started last year, but also a new Future Fellows scheme which nurtures much younger… Read More ›
(Slam Productions SLAMCD294) This is a CD of two halves. The first 35 minutes or so are filled by six compositions by Brooklyn-born, longtime UK resident, trumpeter Jim Dvorak while the final track is nearly 20 minutes of group improvisation. E.D.’s Muse… Read More ›
Around us the laptops are glowing, lattes and herbal teas are being sipped, and, in all likelihood, some pretty important cultural and media decisions are being made. The coffee shop at Fazeley Studios in Digbeth – the Fazeley Social to… Read More ›
Three jazz musicians have been awarded Fellowships for 2014/15 by the Birmingham organisation Jazzlines. The winners were announced last night at a reception at Symphony Hall in Birmingham. They are trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, vocalist Lauren Kinsella and bass player Chris Mapp…. Read More ›
A quick reminder that the Jonathan Silk Quintet is at The Spotted Dog in Digbeth tonight. This is a very classy band indeed, with two toughly contrasting tenors up front, a fiery piano soloist and a bass and drums foundation… Read More ›
Birmingham’s fulsome jazz talents will be on show at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival over the next few days. Look out for: Laura Mvula – I think we can still call her ours! Big Top, 8.30pm, Thursday 1 May. Anthony Marsden… Read More ›
Hare And Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham UK 27-03-2014 The room was rammed and the expectations high for this first Birmingham gig in a number of years from Sebastian Rochford’s quintet. And it’s on the back of the first new album… Read More ›
It’s hard to believe, but one of British jazz’s most innovative and distinctive bands is ten years old. Polar Bear, led by drummer Sebastian Rochford, has toured extensively over this decade and released its fifth recording at the beginning of… Read More ›
Bassist Chris Mapp has a few high profile gigs coming up which show his versatility and increasing activity at the free end of jazz as well as in the use of more electronics. He’s part of the Birmingham/Chicago musical axis… Read More ›
Next Monday and Tuesday two Chicagoans will be making Birmingham their kind of town*. This is a return leg after a band from Birmingham played away in the transatlantic twin city a year ago. And the great thing about jazz… Read More ›
There’s another of British jazz’s significant birthday this weekend – saxophonist, composer and bandleader Stan Sulzmann turns 65, and will be blowing the figurative candles out through his tenor at the CBSO Centre on Saturday from 8pm. With him will be… Read More ›
This evening’s Jazz On 3 focuses on the music of Paul Dunmall who turned 60 earlier this year, and was recorded recently at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham. Paul’s Life In Four Parts gets its radio premiere, following performances last… Read More ›
mac, Birmingham UK 26-10-2013 The saxophonist turned 60 earlier this year and Jazzlines had commissioned him to write a suite to be performed here and then at a couple more venues round the land. It’s called Life In Four Parts, Paul… Read More ›
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