Introduction from Mike Gordon,
Festival Director

I’m confident we have the right mix of ingredients for our eighth festival.

• A hundred years after the birth of the celebrated guitarist Django Reinhardt’ we have Martin Taylor’s reformed group ‘The Spirit of Django’.
• Three previous festival highlights join forces: Stan Tracey, Guy Barker and Bobbie Wellins.
• Music combines with narrative to pay tribute to Chet Baker; and with painting to celebrate the English Master, Turner.
• Four outstanding female instrumentalists feature in this year’s programme: Allison Neale, Andrea Vicari, Karen Sharp and Nikki Iles.
• Jazz vocalists don’t come much better than Anita Wardell and Ian Shaw.
• And at last Alan Barnes plays Alan Barnes!

Stir in an analysis of English weather from Threeway; the musical finesse of Julian Arguelles and Brian Kellock; guitarist Nigel Price’s Organ Trio; and the fresh, irreverent standards interpretations of ‘The Magic Hat Ensemble’ – and you are guaranteed a superb weekend.
Hope to see you there.

Mike Gordon
Festival Director

If you have not been before and would like to get a flavour of the occasion then please click on our virtual festival micro site www.justlikejazz.org
(special thanks to Birmingham City University).