Jazz in Birmingham
Jazz is alive and well and living in Birmingham. Every year the fantastic jazz festival takes over venues throughout the city for two weeks but you don't have to look too far to find some great jazz gigs and events happening year round.Acts like Andy Hamilton and Steve Ajao play regular gigs at venues such as: The James Brindley situated at 12 Bridge Street (off Broad Street, next to the Hyatt Hotel). There is free live music here - not just Jazz - with acts as diverse as Beatlemania to Pato Banton.
Symphony Hall has recently started a series of concerts called Rush Hour Blues to keep the tempo going in the early evening. I went along recently to see concert favourites El Ultimo Tango play their exciting brand of Argentinian tango.
RUSH HOUR BLUES
If you've had a busy week at the office and you can't face the rush hour traffic or just want to begin a night on the town gently, Symphony Hall has something just for you. Rush Hour Blues, a series of free jazz concerts starting at 5.30 pm, will ease you gently into the weekend. The excellent El Ultimo Tango lead by CBSO'S principal cellist Eduardo Vassallo, alongside bassist Mark Fairchild, piano beautifully played by Fred Lezama Thomas, Mark O'Brien on saxophone and flautist Nicolas Bricht played one of the opening concerts.
For just over an hour the audience were treated to their interpretations of music by Astor Piazolla, a fellow Argentinian and inspiration for Eduardo's formation of El Ultimo Tango. They played music from their wonderful first CD and just sound better every time they play together. Each piece was introduced with a little story or a few words that added a little humour and insight into the music, and made the performance even more enjoyable. It can be lively and spirited, passionate and soulful, then at times mournful but always very moving and never fails to delight the audience. A very sizeable crowd had gathered by the end of the concert, many going to the concert in Symphony Hall but many had come just to hear the Argentinian tango of these talented musicians. It's always a treat to see musicians expressing themselves outside of the full orchestra and hearing live music being played at Symphony Hall, especially in the intimate surroundings of the Level 3 bar.
Written by Gaynor Andrews
WEB LINKS
El Ultimo Tango
Symphony Hall
CBSO - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra