Business News Shake away the blues at jazz festival
Birmingham and Solihull Jazz & Blues Festival swings into action for its 33rd year on Friday, 14 July, with a launch at the Park Regis in Birmingham. In runs until 23 July with a
programme which includes nearly 200 performances across almost 100 venues with bands from the UK, Holland, Spain, France, Lithuania, Italy, US, Australia and Israel. The festival will be launched at
12.30 at Park Regis with a performance by The Busquitos from Holland. The legendary Jim Simpson, who
founded Big Bear Music nearly 50 years ago, has been at the forefront of the Jazz Festival since 1968. It was around that Jim also gave
Black Sabbath their first gig at Henry's Blueshouse in Birmingham and managed them through the early years of their success, including the release of worldwide hit and Heavy Metal classic ‘Paranoid’. Big Bear Records, probably the
longest-established independent record company in the UK, have been at the forefront of jazz, blues and swing since 1968. A launch dinner at the Holiday
Inn, Hill Street, Birmingham, was staged to raise funds for the 2017
festival and featured performances from the legendary Birmingham outfit King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys and Tipitina. Said Jim: “We’re once again bringing top drawer players from across the world to Birmingham for a series of mostly free gigs taking place at restaurants, bars, public spaces, museums. “The festival has a truly
international flavour with bands from around the world joining an array of home-grown musicians. Most forms of Jazz and Blues are featured as well as a lot of loosely related music.” Greater Birmingham Chambers
of Commerce are among the Festival partners and chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “We are delighted to be supporting what is now one of the musical highlights on the Birmingham calendar. Every year Jim creates an amazing line-up lasting ten days across numerous venues and this year is no exception.”
To find out more about the Festival, email
admin@bigbearmusic.com or visit
www.birminghamjazzfestival.com
Smile for the selfie: Opening act The Busquitos get in the mood
As well as jazz, blues and other music, the festival also features:
• Free public Jitterbug and Charleston Stroll Dance lessons • A sketch crawl with around 30 artists • A dedicated Jazz Festival CD release • Free public ukulele lessons for all comers • Exhibitions of Jazz Festival Photography at The Windsor Theatre Bar and Waterstones
• The Swing Era Lindy Hop Convention • Live Youtube broadcasts from BBC Mailbox • Free photography Masterclasses and workshops • Open air jazz film programme • Daily afternoon Festival Club with Jazz & Blues films
June 2017 CHAMBERLINK 11
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