Get in the mood and polish those dancing shoes as the launch of the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival is literally around the corner.
The 40th anniversary of the festival promises to be bigger and better. And the fun and enjoyment is about to get underway with a special festival launch at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Holliday Street this Friday 19 July.
During 10 exciting days until Sunday 28 July, the festival will present a programme appropriate for its 40th anniversary, with 237 performances, all but nine of them free admission, in 115 venues.
And Westside will ensure it is at the heart of the action, with more than 60 live performances taking place at 23 venues across the Broad Street and Brindleyplace areas.
The official festival programme gets underway on Westside at 5pm on Friday with three gigs taking place simultaneously at Brasshouse, Noel’s Bar & Restaurant, and Snobs.
But the live music will commence several hours earlier with a performance by multi-national band The Traveling Janes during the festival launch at the Crowne Plaza.
All told, the festival will see bands and musicians taking part from Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Singapore, Norway and the USA, as well as from throughout the UK.
As well as the numerous concerts, the festival programme also includes a variety of other events, including workshops and talks.
Festival organiser Jim Simpson, who launched a fundraising appeal after Birmingham City Council ended its sponsorship, said: “The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival will celebrate its 40th consecutive year of bringing the finest and most entertaining jazz and blues to Birmingham and the region.”
During the 10-day event, a Festival Information Centre will be situated at Snobs night club in Broad Street, where more than a dozen performances will take place.
Friday 19 July concerts
- 5pm, John Hemming & The Jazz Lobbyists – Brasshouse
- 5pm, Roy Forbes – Noel’s Bar & Restaurant
- 5pm, Simon Spillett Quartet – Snobs
- 6.30pm, Hokum & Hooch – Cosy Club
- 6.30pm, Nils Solberg Rhythm Boys – Novotel
- 7pm, Walter Smitty & The Unviables – Hyatt Regency
Visit the festival website for more information.
ENDS
