There’s a new festival this weekend and it’s not very far away. The first takes place at the in the Staffordshire town, and features a wide range of music from the mainstream to vocal to contemporary.
Headlining the two days are singer Clare Teal and her band on Saturday and saxophonist Alan Barnes with the Ben Holder Quartet on Sunday.
Keeping the Midland flag flying on Saturday are Warwickshire trombonist Andy Derrick and his Quartet, and Staffordshire saxophonist Chris Gumbley who brings his Latin Experience to the festival.
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Also on the Saturday bill are Fluff, featuring Ben Martin on saxophones, and the Charlotte Glasson Band from Brighton, which features trombonist Paul Taylor and legendary guitarist Chris Spedding alongside multi-instrumentalist Charlotte who is likely to play flute, saxophone, penny whistle, violin and even the saw in the course of a gig.
Sunday’s bill includes Italian saxophonist Tommaso Starace with his Quartet, the piano trio with the appealing name of Eyes Shut Tight, and Les Musettes who play, as you might guess, French jazz with accordion, guitar and vocals.
The performances are stretched across the Brewery Tap bar and restaurant, the Worthington Suite and the NBC Marquee, all at the , and run from 12pm until after 12am on both nights.
There is an art exhibition and late night jazz jam sessions, and you can buy a day ticket or a weekend one. More information and booking is at
* Back in Birmingham there is al fresco jazz tomorrow courtesy of Jazzlines and . This time the band is led by drummer and percussionist Lydia Glanville.
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Lydia is a graduate and ranges from folk to world to jazz in her musical tastes.
The square opposite the is the place to hear her and her band from 5pm. It’s a free gig and there is more information at .
* And finally, now is the time to be planning an active autumn of jazz concerts with a strong programme from Jazzlines in Birmingham, and a new series of jazz gigs at the .
In Birmingham the highlights are Swedish former E.S.T. drummer Magnus Ostrom and his band at the Adrian Boult Hall on September 13, the Liam Noble Quintet with Chris Batchelor on trumpet and Shabaka Hutchings on saxophone, at the mac on October 8, and the David Murray Infinity Quartet at the CBSO Centre on October 18.
Booking for these and many more Jazzlines gigs is now open at
* Over in Wolverhampton, the Zoe Rahman Quartet is appearing on October 5 and The Impossible Gentlemen on October 20.
The Impossible Gentlemen - Gwilym Simcock on piano, Mike Walker on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums - have a marvellous new album for release very soon. For the Wolverhampton gig, the new album’s producer, Steve Rodby, stands in for Swallow.
You can find out more and book at