Birmingham Jazz

Birmingham Jazz is a voluntary, non-profit organisation responsible for promoting and commissioning some of the most exciting jazz and related contemporary music in the UK.

In this year (2006) Birmingham Jazz is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary as one of the most active independent promoters of contemporary music in Britain, outside of London.

Organisation:

Tony Dudley-Evans has been Chairman of Birmingham Jazz since 1992.

Mary Wakelam has been a part-time administrative officer for Birmingham Jazz since 2004.

Tony and Mary are supported by a committee of unpaid board members. The Birmingham Jazz board includes professional musicians, teachers, amateur musicians and jazz enthusiasts of a wide variety of tastes.

Chronology

1976: The Birmingham Jazz Society presents its first gig.

1979: Birmingham Jazz brings CMN tours to Birmingham for the first time.

1985: Birmingham Jazz begin presenting regular, paid gigs for local musicians.

1989: Birmingham Jazz awards its first commission to Mike Gibbs.

1991: Birmingham Jazz first involved in educational projects.

1991: WBirmingham Jazz began presenting The Series in partnership with BCMG.

1993: The Series wins the prestigious Prudential Award.

1993: Birmingham Jazz starts collaboration with SAMPAD

1996: Birmingham Jazz wins the Foundation for Sports and Arts Award.

1999: Birmingham Jazz wins the PRS & Jazz Services Promoter Award.

2004: Sound It Out, the first community project organised by Birmingham Jazz.

2005: With Symphony Hall, Birmingham Jazz presents Birmingham’s first World Jazz Weekend.

Beginning as a conventional regional ‘jazz society’ in 1976, Birmingham Jazz evolved into a multi-faceted cultural entity of broad scope and national significance. The activities of Birmingham Jazz can be categorised under three main headings: Entertaining, Education and Embracing.

Entertaining

Birmingham Jazz presents music of the highest quality across the entire spectrum of contemporary jazz. This includes artists of international and national standing as well as some of the best musicians in the region. The Birmingham Jazz programme is noted for its eclectic nature – mixing contemporary jazz with classical music, folk, world musics and urban and hip-hop based jazz.

Birmingham Jazz use a variety of venues in the central Birmingham area, including: Symphony Hall, the CBSO Centre, The Jam House, "mac" and the Medicine Bar, ArtsFest, The Rainbow in Digbeth, as well as The Glee Club and The Drum.

Educating

Birmingham Jazz has created a performance-based ethos where musicians, audiences and promoters are learning all the time.

With "mac", Birmingham Jazz have organised Weekend Schools from 1991. Tutors included teachers from the Guildhall School of Music and the Glamorgan Summer Schools, as well as teachers from the Birmingham Conservatoire

In 2003 / 4 Birmingham Jazz co-operated with Sound it Out to present their first community-based education project. This was with students from Hampstead Hall and Hodge Hill Schools.

The next year, Ways into Improvisation was expanded to include Holyhead Secondary and Grestone Primary Schools. Out of these projects came a new band ‘The Void’, which has also performed in front of Birmingham Jazz audiences

With visiting artists, Birmingham Jazz have organised master classes at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Masterclass leaders have included Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano and Dave Holland.

Many Conservatoire Jazz Course students give their first public performance for Birmingham Jazz.

Policy

Birmingham Jazz’s policy recognises no barriers – between musics, artists or audiences

Besides bringing different forms and mixes of contemporary musics, cultures and audiences together musically, the Birmingham Jazz ticket pricing policy is intended to bring contemporary jazz to the widest possible audience. Regular free entry performances have been part of the organisation’s programme since 1985.

Birmingham Jazz brings together what is probably the most diverse range of artists and audiences than any other arts organisation in the region, or even the country.

Support

Birmingham City Council, The Arts Council, The Lottery Arts Fund, and other partners and fund providers.

Links

* [http://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk Birmingham Jazz website]