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| Soweto Kinch Photo credit: Garry Corbett |
LJN’s Editor-at-Large Peter Bacon chooses ten gigs in Birmingham during this merry month that he reckons are worthy of your attendance.
Saturday 6 May
Soweto Kinch’s Nonagram
As Kinch’s bassist Nick Jurd mentioned earlier today on social media, despite the band comprising mainly of Midlanders, it doesn’t get to play at home very often. Expect a partisan crowd, therefore, eager to hear if the numbers in Soweto’s new material all add up.
Presented by Jazzlines at the CBSO Centre, 8pm, £18.
More HERE.
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Tuesday 9 May
Mark Lewandowski’s Fats Waller Project
The bassist has the brooding Liam Noble on piano and the grinning Paul Clarvis on drums, and if the crammed little Digbeth Irish pub does not offer the ideal listening experience, well, Fats would have felt right at home here, so I expect this trio will too. (There is a review of the album HERE).
Jazz @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, 9pm, £5 or more donation.
More HERE.
Friday 12 May
The Great Wee Band
Veteran trumpeter Henry Lowther is a dearly loved friend of Birmingham Jazz – he was the artist-in-residence at their inaugural Legends Festival a few years back – with some equally fine fellows.
Birmingham Jazz, The Red Lion, Jewellery Quarter, 7.45pm, £12.50.
More HERE.
Friday 19 May
Ian Shaw & Liane Carroll
The Pizza Express chain’s commitment to jazz spreads out from Dean Street and has reached the restaurant in Brindley Place, in the heart of the Second City’s nightlife zone. Could two better ambassadors for jazz singing be found? I doubt it.
Pizza Express Live, Brindley Place, 8.30pm, £20.
More HERE.
This year’s Birmingham Jazz Legends Festival takes place in various venues around the Jewellery Quarter from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 May. Here are three choice gigs from a strong programme which salutes jazz’s past in a fresh way:
Saturday 20 May
Ornette Coleman Tribute
Saxophonost Tony Kofi, who can claim to have played with the Legend he celebrates here, leads the tribute, with Byron Wallen as Don Cherry, Larry Bartley as Charlie Haden and Rod Youngs as Ed Blackwell.
The Red Lion, 2pm, £12.50.
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| Sean Gibbs |
Sunday 21 May
Nick Dewhurst Quintet & Sean Gibbs Quintet
Two gigs in a row in the same little coffee bar on St Paul’s Square, both led by trumpeters, with Dewhurst nodding towards Kenny Dorham and Gibbs to Lee Morgan.
Saint Kitchen, 11.30am (Dewhurst) and 1pm (Gibbs), both free entry (but you’ll need to buy some breakfast or lunch).
Sunday 21 May
Bryan Corbett’s Local Stars
The last of four festival apperances by Corbett (this year’s Legends “curator”) as a leader, and on this one he has fellow Midlanders Chris Bowden (alto), Fred Baker (electric bass), Chris Taylor (piano), Pete Harris (guitar) and Ian Palmer (drums). Corbett and Bowden know how to light a fire.
The Red Lion, 3.30pm, £12.50.
Here is the FULL LEGENDS LINE-UP.
Sunday 21 May
Terri Lyne Carrington: Mosaic Project
The only UK appearance by this Grammy-winning drummer and her all-female band, which includes Helen Sung on piano and Tineke Postma on saxophone.
Presented by Jazzlines in the Townhall, Birmingham, 7.30pm, £21.
More HERE.
Tuesday 23 May
Sebastiano Dessanay
The double bassist and composer has spent a good deal of his adult life swapping the sunshine and sea of Sardinia for the dank and canals of Birmingham. And isn’t Brum lucky! He has a great sound and is full of ideas.
Jazz @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, 9pm, £5 or more donation.
More HERE.
Wednesday 24 May
Chris Mapp’s Gonimoblast + Annie Mahtani
And another bassist to finish the month, but a very different one. Chris Mapp uses loads of pedals and other effects in his band which brings together fellow electronic manipulator Leafcutter John and improv drummer Mark Sanders, joined here by Annie Mahtani, also on electronics.
Presented by TDE/Fizzle Promotions, the mac, Cannon Hill Park, 8.15pm, £10.
More HERE.
Categories: Uncategorized
As a Led Bib fan I was surprised that you forgot their May 5 gig at The Blue Orange Theatre. There cannot be a better gig in Birmingham this month.