MASSACRE

Founded by sax/keyboardist Dan Nicholls and guitarist Simon King, Massacre are an unbridled force of breakneck drums, electric grooves, burning improvisation, loops and sampling, sounding somewhere between Miles on the Corner, and Pantera. >>

ROBIN BEATTY

A skilled and sensitive guitarist, Robin is a prominent figure in both folk and jazz circles and also composes music for films and presentations. In 2006 Robin premiered a work at the Banff Moutain Film Festival, Canada. >>

B.I.O.

The Birmingham Improvisers Orchestra is one of the cities most exciting new ensembles. It draws on the wealth of musical talent and experience that exists in Birmingham today and features a diverse array of musical styles and abilities, musicians who are concerned with improvisation regardless of their particular chosen area of musical activity. >>

BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE

Birmingham Conservatoire is an international conservatoire, the only U.K. music college affiliated with a university, being a faculty of Birmingham City University (formerly the University of Central England). The college has two quality performance spaces, the main Adrian Boult Hall auditorium and the smaller Recital Hall and its Library owns around 95,000 individual scores and parts and 10,000 sound recordings. >>

BIRMINGHAM JAZZ

Birmingham Jazz is a promoting organisation which presents contemporary jazz on national and international levels. Formed in 1976 it is funded annually by The Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council and has won the Jazz Promoter Scheme run by Jazz Services five times since 1999. It takes a broad definition of 'jazz' and is interested in collaborative projects that draw on other musics.

CHRIS BOWDEN

At the forefront of the nineties acid jazz scene Chris Bowden released his Time Capsule album in 1996 to immense critical acclaim. He also worked with 4Hero, creating a jazz-soul take on drum & bass on their 1998 album 2 Pages. Chris collaborated on their Hero single playing sax and provided string arrangements. >>

BEN BRYDEN

Ben is a tenor sax and woodwind player, from Dumfries, Scotland making the trip down south to study at Birmingham Conservatoire. He is a member of the acclaimed Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra. >>

NEIL BULLOCK

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RAY BUTCHER

A fine, original and creative trumpeter, Ray is a popular face on the Birmingham Jazz scene, playing frequently at Symphony Hall’s Rush Hour Blues with artists such as Edgar Marcias, Levi French, Tim Amman, Ben Markland, Miles Levin and his own group. >>

TOM CHAPMAN

Tom’s Found Objects band builds on the success of his final recital at Birmingham Conservatoire. The band centers on Tom on drums and percussion, Percy Pursglove on double bass and Mike Fletcher on flutes and saxes, exploring an expressive space that bridges different traditions, from flamenco and samba to British and European folk roots. >>

BRUCE COATS

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T.G. COLLECTIVE

Moving through flamenco, jazz, gypsy, hotclub, classical and film influences, the TG Collective is centered around two acoustic guitars of Jamie Fekete and Sam Slater, set alongside a core of double bass, flute and violin, and often growing to feature trumpets, percussion and flamenco dance, with new and interchanging shapes and sizes from gig to gig. >>

GARRY CORBETT

Garry has had his work published in numerous photographic publications, newspapers and books, winning several awards for his widely exhibited work. This ranges from pictorial images, portraits, landscapes to jazz photography -  for which he has become best known for. >>

AARON DIAZ

Aaron is a trumpeter and bassist currently studying in his fourth on the Jazz course at Birmingham Conservatoire. His ten-piece band Zappajazz was formed to perform and explore the music of Frank Zappa and is now working together on original arrangements and compositions for a series of upcoming gigs.  >>

TONY DUDLEY-EVANS

Tony Dudley-Evans is a jazz promoter, head of Birmingham Jazz and is Artistic Director of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. >>

PAUL DUNMALL

For thirty years Paul Dunmall has carved out a reputation for himself and is now widely recognised as one of the most uncompromising and talented reed players on the International jazz/improvised music scene. >>

MIKE FLETCHER

Birmingham native and Conservatoire jazz course graduate Mike Fletcher is a master woodwind player, bandleader and composer. >>

ANDY HAMILTON

Andy Hamilton is a true jazz legacy who has been playing tenor for 80 years and is still playing frequently. He is resident at two of Birmingham’s leading music venues, Symphony Hall and The Drum and has had his own weekly venue which has been running for 25 years in Cork’s Club, Bearwood. >>

MIKE HURLEY

Whilst studying classical piano at the Conservatoire, Mike had established himself as an original voice on the city’s free improvisation scene. >>

JABSOC

Birmingham University Jazz And Blues Society (or JaBSoc) was formed in September 2005 by Steve Moult and James Affleck to unite student bands and live music enthusiasts within the university. JaBSoc is now run by an official committee, is sponsored by KPMG and has become a platform for many society-formed bands, boasting over 200 members as well as a huge fan base. >>

ADAM JACKSON

Adam's playing is openly expressive, stretching from either end of his instrument's range to points of emotional climax. As well being influenced by the complex and virtuosic music of artists such as David Binney, Dick Oates and Chris Potter, Adam is also an accomlished free improviser as can be heard on his recording Exploration of self. >>

SOWETO KINCH

Soweto Kinch is one of the most exciting and versatile young musicians to hit the British jazz scene in recent years whose musical influences are as broad as they are diverse. The Birmingham-raised Soweto still bases himself in the city. >>

TONY LEVIN

Tony has worked at the highest level since the mid 60’s and continues to play and tour the world. He first came into prominence playing alongside legendary saxophonists Tubby Hayes and Joe Harriot, going on to work with the likes of Humphrey Littleton, Joe Henderson, Gary Burton... >>

TREVOR LINES

After finishing a post-graduate course at the Guildhall School of Music and turning professional, Trevor continued his musical relationships with fellow-students such as Liam Noble, Dave Blackmore and Martin Hathaway, who feature on his first quartet recording The Cats Hide Under The Bed When I Play My Gary Windo Records. >>

FRANK MOON

Frank is familiar to both jazz and world-music situations, combining both in his Desert Grooves band. North African rhythms and harmonic flavours inspired the composition and improvisation alongside Frank's dexterous Oud-work. >>

THE MORGAN BROTHERS

Twins Chris and Huw Morgan, originally from Gosport, Hampshire are graduates of the Birmingham Conservatoire jazz course. As active musicians on the city scene the brothers are familiar faces at concerts and jam sessions, performing frequently with numerous artists and their own sextet. >>

DAN NICHOLLS

A multi-instrumentalist Dan plays alto, tenor and keyboards often in the same musical situations. The broad spectrum he has on his instruments is reflected in his spacious yet intricate writing. Dan is frank about his musical influences and claims that attributing his compositions is his main inspirational focus. >>

CHRIS PROCTOR

Chris has been working both as an intern and full-timer for Cheltenham Jazz Festival administration and is putting his logistical skills to work coordinating a midlands tour involving famed arranger Mike Gibbs leading the Conservatoire Jazz Orchestra. Cobweb is collaborating on the Birmingham gig with a supporting set in the Adrian Boult Hall. >>

PERCY PURSGLOVE

Percy Pursglove founded the Cobweb Collective in 2006 to showcase the young emerging talent in Birmingham and to encourage dialouge between musicians on the scene. He set up the first resident night at Coffee Lounge. >>

JOHN RANDALL

Drummer John Randall is a 4th year Conservatoire student originally hailing from Malden, Essex. John was a member of Essex Youth Jazz Orchestra, coached by british altoist Martin Hathaway. He also schooled with Empirical bassist Tom Farmer whom he continues to work with. >>

SIMONS SPREYER

Drummer Simon Spreyer is one of Birmingham's most in-demand and up-and-coming young musicians. He has produced several original recordings crossing between electronic and acoustic timbres, such the featured Elbee. >>

SUB ENSEMBLE

The Sub Ensemble is a 7 piece group exploring the music originating from acid-jazz and brokenbeat making live, improvised music with dance-floor grooves.   >>

ROB ANSTEY
  >>Studying on the 4th year of Birmingham Conservatoire's jazz course, Rob is in demand as both a Trombonist and Bassist. His own quartet combines his melodic trombone playing with Mike Fletcher's Flute in a subtle and unusal instrumentation >>

MILES LEVIN

Miles Levin is a graduate of the postgraduate jazz course at Guildhall College of Music, and have jazz music flowing in his veins. He plays frequently around the city, with many established artists in varying feilds of music.

BEN KANE

Ben Kane a drummer on the third year of the Bimingham Conservatoire jazz course, playing in many student ensembles and is a member of the college Jazz Orchestra, currently working towards a tour with the celebrated copmoser/arranger Mike Gibbs.

SUMMARY

PETER MAXWELL DIXON