Line up for ‘Jazz Women of the World’ Festival, May 9th to 11th, Birmingham.

Monday, May 05, 2025

Birmingham Jazz are hosting a three day Jazz Women of the World festival this weekend at 1000 Trades in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, starting on Friday 9th May through to Sunday evening. 

Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester, writes;

Birmingham Jazz are hosting a three day Jazz Women of the World festival this weekend at 1000 Trades in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, starting on Friday 9th May through to Sunday evening.

The festival brings together players from 1960s jazz, through to emerging talent now, in a linear history of the art form performing original musical pieces through the ages. The festival will programme eight gigs over three days reflecting the spectrum of UK jazz development. Each will perform pieces that they created at the start of their careers.

The line-up includes Juliet Kelly, Nikki Iles, Becca Williams, J.A.M. String Collective, Christina Tobin, Kate Williams and Tori Freestone (performing with Huw Warren’s Brazilian “Choro, Choro, Choro” band).


On Saturday, Birmingham Jazz have arranged a special, free-admission event for children called “Jazz In The Jungle”. This wonderful family concert features the delightful stories and original compositions of author and saxophonist Jo Markland (who also runs Jazz at The Table in Walsall).

Jo describes the Jazz in the Jungle series as “a magical way to introduce young music lovers to the vibrant world of jazz, with characters inspired by legendary jazz musicians. Meet Oscar the Ocelot (inspired by Oscar Peterson) and his jazzy jungle pals, join the eccentric Madame Partridge at the opera for some conducting fun, and hear the stunning vocals of Ella Fitzfeathers (Ella Fitzgerald), the songbird extraordinaire.”

The show will feature a selection of standards that inspired the stories and are hinted at in Jo’s compositions. There are audience participation moments too including a conducting workshop.

For more information about the festival and to get your tickets, head over to the Birmingham Jazz website.
https://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk/jazz-women-of-the-world