Birmingham Jazz (or BJS)is a voluntary, non-profit organisation responsible for promoting and commissioning jazz and related contemporary music in the UK.
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Organisation
Tony Dudley-Evans was chair of Birmingham Jazz from 1992 to 2009 when he became Artistic Director. He remained as Artistic Director until 2012 when he transferred to Jazzlines, Town Hall and Symphony Hall’s jazz performances and education projects.
Mary Wakelam was General Manager from 2009 to 2012 having been part-time from 2004. Chris Mapp was employed as a part-time Administrative Officer from 2009 to 2012
In 2012 the work of Birmingham Jazz was transferred to Jazzlines, Town Hall and Symphony Hall’s programme of live jazz performances and education projects across the city. As part of the team behind Jazzlines, Tony and Mary continue the work they established at Birmingham Jazz. Town Hall and Symphony Hall is now established as an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) for its Jazzlines programme.
Birmingham Jazz has continued as an unfunded organisation run by a committee of unpaid board members.
Birmingham Jazz chronology
The activities of Birmingham Jazz can be categorised under three headings: Entertaining, Education and Embracing.
Entertaining
Birmingham Jazz presents music across the spectrum of contemporary jazz. This includes artists of international and national standing as well as musicians from 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 venues in the central Birmingham area, including: 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 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.
Support
Birmingham City Council, The Arts Council, The Lottery Arts Fund, and other partners and fund providers.