More than 20,000 people put on their dancing shoes or simply chilled out as they watched a memorable Birmingham, Sandwell & Westside Jazz Festival.
The 37th consecutive jazz festival attracted a total audience of 22,252, with many of them attending venues on Westside.
The festival, which ran for 17 days up to the beginning of August, came immediately after lockdown restrictions were lifted.
It clearly proved quite a draw with a survey revealing that 55 per cent of visitors were specifically there for the jazz.
And while just over half of the jazz and blues lovers were over the age of 50, an encouraging 23 per cent were younger than 30, while 12 per cent of them were from outside the West Midlands
Even more encouraging, with plans for next year’s festival already underway, is that four out of five visitors said they intend to return to the festival in 2022.
Organiser Jim Simpson, of Big Bear Records, said: “We are really pleased that we managed to produce the 37th year of this festival, not having missed either of the last two years despite the pandemic.
“In terms of goodwill, it has been a success for bands, venues and audiences alike, and it bodes well for next year when we hope to be able to return to normal.”
The festival comprised 139 performances, with 132 of them free.
Among the highlights were the first Birmingham appearances of bands such as London-based The Old Jelly Rollers, who appeared at O’Neill’s, and The Cajun Roosters who featured The Specials’ former bass guitarist Horace Panter in a gig at Velvet Music Rooms.
Elsewhere, top jazz tenor saxophone player Art Themen jammed with blues band The Shufflepack and commented afterwards: “Maybe I’ve been playing the wrong music all these years.”
For younger visitors, both ukulele workshops at Caffe Nero and O’Neill’s, entitled ‘You’re Never Alone With A Uke’, were filled, while the festival’s free jitterbug dance classes at venues including Caffe Nero were equally popular.
Westside BID chairman Dipesh Mistry said how pleased he was that quality jazz had returned to the area.
Mr Mistry said: “Westside is the entertainment capital of the Midlands, and so we were thrilled that the festival has returned to its rightful place and created so much fun and joy for thousands of visitors.”
Main picture: Art Themen and The Shufflepack at O’Neills
ENDS
