Review by Robbie Fearon The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, Birmingham 09-05-2017 This was tour date seven out of 24 for bassist Mark Lewandowski’s trio, featuring Liam Noble on the piano and Will Glaser – stepping in for Paul Clarvis – on… Read More ›
the spotted dog
Andre Canniere – The Darkening Blue
(Whirlwind Recordings) The third recording on Whirlwind by the American trumpeter now based in London features a sextet and a batch of 10 original tunes, four of them based on poems by Rilke and one with words by Monique Canniere inspired… Read More ›
Square One sounds like a good place to start
The young Glasgow-based quartet of guitarist Joe Williamson, pianist Peter Johnstone, bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson have a new album out called In Motion and are currently out and about promoting it with a series of gigs in… Read More ›
Big Band Special
The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, Birmingham 31-07-16 The Big Band Special featured four big bands over the afternoon in the lovely garden at the back of The Spotted Dog and was the final promotion of the two stalwarts of the jazz… Read More ›
Big Band Sunday at The Dog – it’s almost upon us
It has developed into a much anticipated annual event – the summer Sunday afternoon gathering in back garden of The Spotted Dog in Digbeth. With as many musicians as punters – and a healthy overlap between the two – it… Read More ›
My top ten Midland gigs – June 2016
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 ›
The Spotted Dog Bros
Eric & Ernie, Paul & Art, Stan & Ollie, Don & Phil, Don & Walt… perhaps Clifford & Max is the most appropriate analogy. Sometimes two can achieve so much more than just one. The pair that have done more for… Read More ›
February 2016
Here is a list of gigs across the English Midlands for the next 29 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… Read More ›
January 2016
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?… Read More ›
December 2015
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?… Read More ›
The Spotted Dog gets serious online
Jazz At The Spotted Dog has a smart new website – it’s another of the sure steps the organisers of the sessions at the Digbeth pub have been taking in the past year to build the Dog’s reputation as one of the most… Read More ›
November 2015
Here is a list of gigs across the English Midlands for the next 3o 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?… Read More ›
Julian Argüelles’ Tetra
The Spotted Dog, Birmingham UK 27-10-2015 This was the second date of saxophonist Julian Argüelles‘ current UK tour leading his young band, and was a real treat, not only for the packed audience but for the regular Tuesday night sessions at… Read More ›
Julian Argüelles – Tetra
(Whirlwind Recordings) Tetra is both the name of the album and of this working quartet which has seen Midlands-born saxophonist Julian Argüelles (he cut his teeth with Walsall Jazz Orchestra) enlist musicians from a younger generation: Kit Downes on piano,… Read More ›
Phil Meadows Group/Engines Orchestra
Reviewed by Sarah Chaplin Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London 01-10-2015 Saxophonist and composer Phil Meadows has hardly been out of the press for the past two years as he has steadily built up his reputation as a formidable but friendly… Read More ›
October 2015
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?… Read More ›
Fizzle and The Dog overflow with generosity in Freshers’ Week
Students arriving at Birmingham Conservatoire to study jazz get their best shot at mid-week excess this evening with an appetising double-tot Fizzle session at the Lamp Tavern followed by a mammoth four-band binge at The Spotted Dog. Fizzle offers Treppenwitz (Matthew… Read More ›
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