A Week of Jazz
When I say out loud that the Birmingham Jazz Festival website doesn’t have listings, I was told that I won’t need to find listings, every venue in Birmingham will be involved.
It appears to be true as I hear two or three different sets of trombones, trumpets and French horns on my way back home through Broad Street on the first night.
Next day, my friends come up for the weekend and we find no jazz at 24 Carrots, where they often have music anyway.
We find none advertised in any of the venues at St Paul’s Square and we see nothing from there into the city centre and back.
We go out thinking if nothing else, the Yardbird Jazz Club will definitely have some. I say the JAZZ club will have some. No, nothing jazzy there and no music on either before or after dinner.
We go to New Orleans, nothing there on Saturday night either.
We visit one more canal side pub (remains un named as it’s awful, on a Saturday night anyway) but they advertise jazz the following weekend.
We go home.
New Orleans Jump Band
Sunday I plan. I’m determined to see a blooming trombone and a straw hat before I send my friends home this afternoon.
We start at Urban Coffee Co for post pancake coffee and newspapers and I run across (OK, skip with excitement) to Hotel Du Vin to get visual and vocal confirmation. Yes we have jazz.
Bingo. This planning malarkey works. Well it always has done so I don’t know why I listen to non-planning advice.
Now this is more like it. Trombones, straw hats, pastel pinstripe suits topped of with waiter service. A perfect Sunday lunchtime with the bonus of a generous portion of sublime fries served in a way only somewhere as delightful as HDV can; in gold goblets with linen napkins. Life shouldn’t really be this good.
So now the Jazz Festival has kicked off I want more and I’m in the mood for a Sunday roast whereas the rest of the party are content with pancakes and fries. The only way to have what we all want; a drink, a snack and a full roast is to go to a pub.
Digby Fairweather Big Four
Brasshouse has music at 3pm which it is by the time we’ve waited the 40 minutes to have microwaved/boiled/killed vegetables with some beef. It does the job though (although there is no danger of my ever returning) and by now we are getting blasé about eating accompanied by trombones.
So with my previous excitement now a jazz addiction, I set about planning the week.
Wednesday is not strictly Jazz Festival but they do have live music at the Ikon Café with a gypsy jazz guitarist so it does count. Although they may think I was stalking them given that I’m there for the rather excellent new exhibit opening the previous evening.
Michael Sutton & Mike Conliffe
Friday, my favourite writing/coffee haunt has excellent live music from not one but two musicians. Another wonderful I-wish-we-have-this-every-week moment culminating in the fact they play Moon River as their last track. Two or three years earlier, I asked for this track whilst hearing a band play but the word came back ‘no’, they don’t know it. This kind of makes up for it. A wonderful end to the week/start to the weekend.
Saturday, I go with trepidation to The Lord Clifden, a pub, barely in the Jewellery Quarter but with a good musical reputation. The bands’ description sounded to me like a house band on one of my little discoveries in New York, Café Wha in that they’ll play a tight set and be multi-talented.
Federation Of The Disco Pimp
We immediately feel comfortable; it’s already almost full at 8.30, the band are sound checking, it’s a mixed crowd from the student type, to us, to the old time 1970s funksters with a lot of head nodding, toe tapping and hip shaking going on.
Although I don’t see inside the place – we are in the vast beer garden – I can see there’s a mirror ball inside which to me can only be a good thing. The BBQ is in full swing and a huge variety of specialist beers are set up at the external bar. Which brings me to the only negative of the week; I have absolutely no idea when it’s relatively sparse at the bar and two people serving, why four people (men) manage to get served in front of me. This extreme lack of customer service would normally be a walk out situation for me but we have come to check this place out and see this specific band so I’m extra tolerant. (NB I will go back but won’t return for a third time if this happens again – drives me crazy as a customer, particularly at over £5 a pint – not mine mind)
In the audience I see, Status Quo, assorted hair-extensioned WAGS and Nelson Mandela. OK two of them are look-a-likes but cause great amusement amongst us.
Greg Abate
Finally, a return to Hotel Du Vin where this time I arrange to leave Urban Coffee Co extra early to ensure comfortable seats. Same fries, same mineral water, different friends, equally as fantastic music and all round wonderful Sunday.
By careful planning, I have seen a different act at each venue, however by chance, each artist has performed a unique type of jazz tinged with blues, funk, soul or just swing. This has been a fantastic Jazz & Blues Festival that’s given a relative newcomer to Birmingham an opportunity to try out some new places and listen to my happy music, you know, the type that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Staying in for two weeks now, except maybe a quick look into Lord Clifden again.
50 things that make me smile in Birmingham
In no particular order, just how they spilled out from my thoughts…
The building of the new library
Town Hall – From Robert Plant to the BBC Big Band
Symphony Hall – Chandeliers, acoustics and an organ
Alpha Tower (or is that just me? – my favourite building)
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery – because it’s majestic on the outside, magnificent on the inside and it’s all free.
Theatre Land – to be able to just walk to the theatre, no subway for us.
The Jewellery Quarter
Custard Factory – if the name isn’t enough there’s the vintage fairs
St Pauls Square – 1 min from Colmore Business District and all is quiet
24 Carrots – an excellent reason to go to the JQT, if you needed one
Urban Coffee Co – the best in Birmingham (although I have said that many times)
Kiss Me Cupcakes – ditto
The canal –a scenic walk to somewhere fabulous
NIA – knowing people from all over the world come to perform there
Birmingham Airport – oceans ahead (pun intended) from the big London airports
The Evening Mail sellers in their kiosks “Maaaeeeil”
Cadburys (thanks to @blondepinky3)
That I can walk everywhere
That Digbeth is now apparently called the Irish Quarter
The new National Express coach station – like they said, just like a (tiny) airport and it was opened by Fabio Capello.
That Helena Bonham Carter pops into Urban Coffee Co for breakfast
The Jazz (and blues) Festival
The arts festival
The film festival
The book festival
Gay Pride & the gay village
St Patricks Day parade – I was at the New York version when I learnt Birmingham’s huge Irish community make this the 3rd largest in the world, after NYC and Dublin
Selfridges, House of Fraser and Harvey Nicks – strategically placed 10 minutes from each other. House of Fraser will forever be known as my 7 floors of heaven.
The old school musical heritage (Ozzy Osborne, Roy Wood, ELO, Robert Plant, Slade)
The new school musical heritage (Duran Duran, UB40, Ocean Colour Scene, The Editors)
The comic heritage (Lenny Henry, Frank Skinner)
The acting heritage (Julie Walters, Martin Shaw)
The multitude of live music venues, huge and tiny including Yardbird Jazz Club, The Jam House and of course the O2 right in the city centre
The ICC – because it houses so much, it brings revenue & jobs and at night at any case, it’s stunning (not so much in the day but I’m being positive)
The student population – or to be honest, the fact they are being educated at any number of our fine educational establishments
3 Michelin star restaurants, the now famous Lasan and the huge variety of gorgeous restaurants. Birmingham will never go hungry
The Balti Triangle
Bull Ring – not The Bull Ring
The Electric – the oldest working cinema in the country and one of four in the central area
The Broad Street ‘Walk of Stars’
JR Tolkien
St Pauls Gallery with the album covers exhibition that quite frankly, I want to move into.
Brindleyplace – it’s just one word you know
Jekyll & Hyde (via @blondepinky3)
The Actress & Bishop (via @blondepinky3)
The Lord Clifden – music, BBQs, glitter balls and Banksy. We are truly spoilt.
Birmingham Cathedral
@likemind – my favourite start to any day, never mind a Friday
The thing I love most about Birmingham – the warmth of the people. It’s not just me; all the outsiders say the same thing.
One more ???
Give me a minute, I’ll think of lots more as soon as I hit ‘publish’.
Music Monday – A is for Adam & the Ants
One forgets what an impact the Ants made c1981
1. Kings of the Wild Frontier
2. Ant Music
3. Stand & Deliver
4. Dog Eat Dog
5. Prince Charming
Let’s hope the man gets past the demons….
Adam Ant Website
Movie – Inception
Leonardo’s latest is no different to his other blockbusters. Except, actually it is. They are all unusual and mysterious tackling a subject in a new way although ‘they‘ have likened this to the Matrix; films I never got into and wondered for a long time why there were references each time someone saw me in my almost floor length leather coat.
20 minutes into the film, despite my determined stance, I give up trying to follow it but resign myself to enjoy the special effects.
The story – if you can find one – is that we now have the technology to not only extract dreams from people but implant them. Whilst they’re dreaming, DiCaprio’s team are able to manipulate people to do what they want. The twist is that his wife has died and he has committed a crime preventing him from going back to America to be with his young children. Instead he implants dreams about his family which cannot create a healthy existence.
He is offered a chance to redeem his American status by a criminal, who I recognised is played by the excellent Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai). He just needs to do this one complicated job for which he enlists the help of a student (Ellen Page) as recommended by his professor father (Michael Caine).
I agree that teeny Ellen Page (Juno) does look 12 years old at most so an enthusiastic geeky nerd (is that the same thing?) is the best we can see her as. She helps set up the plan where they are going to be in a dream, within a dream, within yet another dream. I think.
None of this is futuristic; the roads bending, buildings curving and gravity changing at will is all in the here and now and yet there is scant mention that what they are doing is illegal.
I suggest you just enjoy the long 2½ hour ride.
7½/10 Smile factor 8½/10
Live music: The Coral & Cherry Ghost
I’m thrilled to see this gig advertised; two for the price of one. I really like the Coral and have one or two of their albums but I just adore the first Cherry Ghost album from 2007. Every track I heard from it had enthralled me even before I listened to the whole thing, on my way back from a birthday trip to San Francisco thanks to the always brilliant Virgin Atlantic; is there a more perfect airline? I don’t think so.
In preparation, I’m out last weekend to purchase their new album, my first in a year as I’ve kind of decided no more CDs; I may as well begrudgingly go into download territory. It’s hard as I have never been a fan of the tiny CDs that replaced the almost weekly occasion that was ‘buying an album’. Back then, I came home with a large purchase in my hand and devoured the hundreds of sleeve notes and lyrics whilst playing and taping the new vinyl. Nearly all my records are pristine as they have just been played once – and thereafter only listened to on tape.
I discover that I’m a day early for the release, I’m sure Radcliffe & Maconie said it was out in June? As if to compensate, I buy my first ever DVDs (I’ve decided I’m going to buy my top two films of each year – only in the sale. I bought Milk (2008) and Away We Go (2009). Next day, my music geekness is restored as I wait for HMV to open to buy the day’s best new release. And I say that having only heard the single so far.
I feel with their talent and sound, Cherry Ghost should be headlining their own gig of this magnitude so for me, The Coral were the bonus act, despite their longevity through five quality albums. To add to the magic, the gig is taking place in Alexandra Theatre. A theatre!
This is a first for me but somehow it works beautifully. From the third row of the dress circle (I wouldn’t have chosen the location myself) we have a perfect view. Whilst it’s odd to be sitting down at such an event, the mostly melancholy tunes of both bands just seem to fit the chandelier and dusty decor.
The support’s support band (whose name I didn’t catch) matched the harmonious vibe of the two main acts perfectly and set us up for the best new (2006) band for years.
I should play them more often as the minute Cherry Ghost take to the stage; I have that warm fuzzy feeling inside that says all is good in the world, because we have music like this to enrich our lives.
The smile doesn’t go away throughout their short but otherwise perfect set. I just love the vibe and quite frankly they could be reciting their shopping list and the track will still be fantastic. It’s swaying, deeply melodious and haunting at times. In fact, I feel I am in a far away blues club at 4am on a Friday morning not a theatre in the centre of Birmingham on Monday night at 8.30.
I cannot wait to catch them at a headline gig to hear their complete set. I’d pay good money and travel a fair distance for that. 20 minutes walk from my house works just as well though.
What’s more I’m pleasantly surprised to hear The Coral much louder than I foresee as they work through some classics, some early numbers and of course a few from the new (to be purchased – no downloaded) album.
Gosh, next I’ll be replacing by Blackberry with an iThingy.
Movie – Heartbreaker
What is a RomCom anyway? Why can’t it just be called a comedy after all don’t many films have a bit of romance in them?
The RomCom tag means I have probably missed a few good films (and many more bad ones) but I am glad I saw Heartbreaker.
It’s in French and it’s a comedy. What do they know about romance anyway?
The story is of a man who makes a living by separating ‘unsuitable’ couples. He is hired by friends, relatives and colleagues and his trick is to seduce the women, therefore awakening her to the fact that she is probably in the wrong relationship before telling them he’s not the right fit either and moves on to the next assignment.
The Heartbreaker works with a team his sister and her husband who add to the comedic essence of this film. Each time, there is careful research on the break up couple, he finds out as much as he can so he can pretend to have all the same things in common; be that Wham or Dirty Dancing.
The comeuppance is expected when he is hired to break up a French bride to be from her wealthy British fiancé. To add pressure, he also owes a sizable amount of money to some crooks, who no doubt helped fund his expensive lifestyle, afforded by him sleeping in the office or whatever is available.
The French cookie turns out to be a tough one to crack with only three days to go before the wedding. Will this be the one girl that doesn’t fall for his charms?
A good comedy that’s well worth a watch.
7½/10 Smile factor 9/10
Music Monday – Blondie
My fave tracks from the generation crossing Blondie.
Can you believe their first album was realeased in 1976?
- In The Flesh
- (I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
- Union City Blue
- Dreaming
- Picture This
- Call Me
And so many more good ones
http://www.blondie.net/album/
Movie – Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
We all know there a dozens of these types of epic adventure films so let’s cut straight to the story.
Orphan boy get’s noticed by the King, in the days where the king just roamed the streets with little more than a couple of staff and didn’t feel the need for millions of pounds worth of security to follow. Boy gets adopted and therefore becomes a prince, in all but royal blood.
As an adult, he goes into battle to secure another land only to realise something is amiss and there is no reason to invade. Alas there are no weapons of mass destruction, so to speak.
Instead, the Prince of Persia, Daston (Jake Gyllenhaal), discovers a mystical dagger which contains magical sand and therefore can turn back time. Obviously.
But all in all it’s a good old fashioned epic, although actually only 116 minutes long. The twist is the King is murdered and Daston is the prime suspect, having been set-up, but by who? In the meantime he and the beautiful princess, as is de rigueur in these flicks, set up about keeping the dagger from the wrong evil hands whilst proving his innocence.
Ben Kingsley, of the category ‘Doesn’t Put His Name To A Bad Film’ category also stars, alas as a baddie.
An inoffensive movie to escape to and under 2 hours.
7/10 Smile Factor 8/10
Music Monday – Pet Shop Boys
Movie – Karate Kid
It appears I’m one of the few people that haven’t seen the original but it does mean I have nothing to compare this Karate Kid with.
I’m seeing it now purely for the cute-as-a-`button Jaden Smith, of the brilliant In Pursuit of Happiness fame (oh and son of Will).
The boy did good and the cuteness hits the viewer immediately and refuses to go away. I try really hard to get out of my mind that this youngster went back to school after shooting this and his ‘what I did in the summer’ report would have said I shot a martial arts movie with Jackie Chan.
Having said that, this is as far away as you can get from a Jackie Chan flick as he takes a definite back seat to young Jaden and indeed to quite a few of the young cast.
You may already know that this is the story of a mother taking her son away from America, topically from the broken car industry in Detroit into a new life and job in China. The boy is not best pleased but less so when he immediately starts getting bullied at school. Not by any old bullies, but by the local bad boy ‘karate kids’. Of course the only way to get even and hold his own is to learn the craft which is where building maintenance man Mr Han (Jackie Chan) steps in.
There are some made for 12 year old movie moments like the overwhelming dramatic music when they reach the top of the mountain, martial arts practising Mecca. There was the over dramaticism when the karate kid, Dre (Oh yes, bring it up to date) finds out why his teacher lives in virtual solitude and what happened to his family.
I couldn’t help but wonder why the skinny little Dre didn’t just topple over when pushed, never mind how he survived a severe beating in the heavy hands of the bullies.
Whilst a lovely, sweet and emotional scene, I’m uncertain why the father of the teenage love interest felt he had to let her honour her promise to be at the Karate Kid tournament and yet made her dissect their friendship a few scenes earlier.
Young Mr Smith did terrifically well as he’s in just about every scene and has the charm, comic timing and promise of helping to build another American acting dynasty.
Clearly it’s farfetched that the skinny boy goes to a new school in a foreign country (where incidentally every one conveniently speaks English) and has to learn a martial art in record quick time in order to stand up to the school bully. Surely he could have just moved school?
Go see it if you know any 12 year olds and if you want your heart strings tugged with a smile upon your face.
7½/10 Smile factor 9/10
