Coventry meets jazz and blues festival as the event expands beyond Birmingham

Coventry dates have been announced for the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival as it expands for the first time in its 40-year history. England’s oldest jazz and blues festival will have artists perform at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

The free event will take place on Saturday 27 July as part of a 10-day festival which will see more than 86 bands perform at 116 venues across the West Midlands. The Coventry Building Society Arena will host nine different bands and musicians, with a variety of spaces to be used throughout the venue.

The event will also include a beer festival. The Coventry Jazz, Blues & Beer Festival is expected to attract visitors from across Coventry and Warwickshire.

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It will also feature workshops, talks and masterclasses for jazz and blues fans. You’re Never Alone with a Uke will host informal workshops for ukulele players of all abilities. Julian Cockshott from Ukulele Rocks will be offering tips and advice to ukulele enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels.

There will be an opportunity to learn the basics of lindy hop and swing dance with Ben, Serana and company in ‘The Swing Era’ dance workshop. Instructors will help equip visitors with basic dance techniques to dance to the music throughout the rest of the festival.

Artists performing on the day will include Derby-born multi-award winning guitarist and singer Sunjay. Sunjay has been nominated for a British Blues Award and has backed many of the blues greats including Steeleye Span, John Renbourn and Albert Lee.

The Warren James Skiffle Group will perform the hits of skiffle stars such as Lonnie Donegan and Tommy Steele. Chickenbone John, known as the Godfather of the cigar box guitar, is also on the line-up, bringing the authentic blues sound to the festival.

The Shufflepack, led by harmonica player Stuart Maxwell, will take audiences back to 1950s Chicago with a touch of 1940s influence. Jamie Thyer and The Worried Men, who have performed over 4,000 concerts over the past 30 years. , are also set to appear at the event in Coventry.

Jump, Jive and Wail have consistently demonstrated their live performance credentials at vintage events, festivals, dance halls and jazz clubs over the past 20 years. They will perform a live set combining boogie woogie piano, sax, exuberant harmonica and three-part vocal harmonies.

And finally, “Back On The Road,” featuring well-known musicians Tony O’Brien, Richard Fedeski, Ray Sweeney, Bill Jefferson and Stevie Barr, will perform a series of classic rock, pop and blues covers. The festival is organized by Big Bear Music, one of the UK’s longest running independent record labels and booking agencies.

Paul Michael, Managing Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “This is an event with a fantastic pedigree and we are delighted to be working with Big Bear Music to extend it to Coventry for the first time. The best thing is that this event allows the people of Coventry and Warwickshire to enjoy the magic of blues jazz for free, with no entry fee.

“The festival has been hugely successful in the Midlands for four decades and we look forward to building on those foundations here in Coventry.”

Big Bear Music’s Jim Simpson said: “Coventry is a musically important city with a very distinct heritage. To continue to present such a major and nationally significant jazz and blues festival so close to Coventry without involving this city would just be wrong.

“It is a pleasure to work with the management team at Coventry Building Society Arena. Everything just fell into place so easily and it’s going to be a fun, entertaining and memorable day.”

The Coventry Jazz, Blues and Beer Festival will take place at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday 27th July. For more information visit www.coventrybuildingsocietyarena.co.uk.