Midland guitar maestro Chickenbone John got an unexpected call on Saturday – a gig on the sales floor of Lee Longlands, Broad Street’s legendary furniture store.
The performance was part of the 39th Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, but in this instance only because the listed act in the programme was indisposed at short notice.
Festival founder Jim Simpson gave Chickenbone John (real name John Wormald )a call the minute he heard about the cancellation, and John shot over from his Bearwood home to put on a guitar masterclass, with barely two hours to prepare for the 4pm slot.
Chickenbone John is known as the ‘godfather of the cigar box guitar’, an instrument which he makes by hand with three strings instead of six, which is perfect for standard or slide playing.
He performed a two-part set at Lee Longlands, featuring a mixture of six and three-string guitars. You can watch part of his performance in our two-minute video on YouTube here:
Some 50 people enjoyed his storytelling performance, keeping dry from some torrential rain and gusts of wind so strong that some younger trees on the street were literally losing branches.
Inside the store, though, all was calm – not least because Lee Longlands’ staff went round offering the foot-tapping music lovers free and refillable glasses of bubbly.
Lee Longlands began life in 1902 and the company opened its famous, art deco four-floor store on Broad Street in 1932. Today it is run by Jag Mall, who has more than 25 years of experience in retailing.
Lee Longlands offers customers up to three hours of free car parking if you validate your number plate in store whilst shopping. Even during the show, some customers were enjoying browsing the different floors and being tempted by the quality items on display.
These include a colourful, patchwork fabric sofa and single matching chair priced at £1,675 and £919 respectively – down from £2,719 and £1,439 – with leather versions available, too.
Chickenbone John also later performed at the Wellington real ale pub on Bennetts Hill and the band version, Chickenbone Blues, will be at the Velvet Music Rooms on Broad Street at 7pm on tomorrow (19 July).
The 39th Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival was launched at Birmingham Rep on Friday 14 July and continues until Sunday 23 July. For full details of the programme, which totals almost 200 mostly-free shows, visit www.birminghamjazzfestival.com.
The dates for next year’s Festival have also been announced – the landmark 40th anniversary event will run from 19 to 28 July 2024.
● Lee Longlands is at 224 Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1AZ (tel 0121 600 5400) or if visiting by car it’s B15 1BS on sat nav. The website is leelonglands.co.uk
