Golden days: Birmingham Jazz Orchestra
There is a certain narrative that goes along the lines: everything that happens emanates from London and somehow jazz has just been discovered by the TikTok generation there and all is well in the world. Patently untrue as 50 years of activity in Birmingham, England’s 2nd city in population terms and forever a Cinderella to the capital often inexplicably in cultural terms, celebrated soon goes some way to demonstrate. Local jazz luminaries whose fame has spread include Dave O’Higgins, Soweto Kinch, Xhosa Cole and Shabaka and a busy calendar of gig promotion activity is championed by local volunteers and has been since time immemorial. The local scene or scenes if you prefer as there are quite a few in the city even has a top indie jazz label just as good as any of the London ones in Stoney Lane.
The anniversary itself dates to September 1976, when Birmingham Jazz presented its first concert, Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia, at Birmingham’s Grand Hotel. The organisation has continued to promote live jazz and related music in the city, presenting international and national artists while creating opportunities for local musicians and students.
The centrepiece of the October anniversary event is the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra, which will premiere a new five-movement suite commissioned by Birmingham Jazz. Each movement has been written by a Birmingham based composer and draws on musical influences associated with one of the organisation’s five decades.
Ed Puddick’s opening movement looks to the jazz-rock of the 1970s, including the music of Mike Gibbs, Neil Ardley and Ian Carr. Alicia Gardener-Trejo’s contribution reflects UK jazz of the 1980s, while Jonathan Silk’s movement takes inspiration from the more developed compositional language of writers such as Kenny Wheeler in the 1990s. Dave Sear looks towards the expanding musical influences of the early 2000s, with Alex Astbury’s final movement drawing on all five decades for a contemporary conclusion.
The evening begins at 6.30pm in the Eastside Jazz Club with a support set by the Zeb Murphy Band, comprising Royal Birmingham Conservatoire musicians. The Birmingham Jazz Orchestra performs in the Recital Hall at 7.45pm, followed by a student-led jam session in the Eastside Jazz Club at 9pm.
So then local promoters Birmingham Jazz will mark its 50th anniversary on Thursday 8 October with a special concert at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, part of a wider programme celebrating five decades of live jazz promotion in the city.
Over its 50 years Birmingham Jazz has presented artists including Ronnie Scott, Jan Garbarek, Humphrey Lyttelton, Mike Gibbs, Stan Tracey and Abdullah Ibrahim, alongside programmes supporting musicians from the region. Its history also includes commissions, education projects and opportunities for students and emerging musicians. Birmingham even had its own Ronnie Scott’s branch at one time – but that is an entirely different story best heard over a few sherbets. Probably. But hey: Birmingham jazz – stuff of legends in whichever venue you wish to mark the half century in. The organisation also regularly puts on top gigs at the real ale friendly 1000 Trades and there is a strong jazz faculty operating as an incubator at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire which is part of Birmingham City University (who run the Eastside jazz club).
- Tickets for the 8 October concert are priced at £5, £12 and £15. Further details
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