The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

Music | Lunchtime Concerts

April - September 2010
Barber Lunchtime Concerts

16th -25th July 2010
Birmingham International Jazz Festival

Following the success of their concerts at the Barber Institute last year,
the Jazz Festival returns with two lunchtime concerts as part of this city-wide extravaganza.

Admission is FREE, and all concerts start at 1.10 pm

Friday 16 July ∙ 1.10 pm
Drake University Big Band (USA)

The exceptional quality of American college and university big bands is well known and this ensemble from Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa), is one of the finest. Over the years the band has recorded many albums and worked with many star musicians, and its record at festivals is remarkable: the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Jazz Festival and the Notre Dame Jazz Festival are just two where the Iowans have collected multiple awards in the last decade and a half. In Europe the band has appeared at many of the major festivals, including Montreux and North Sea.

Friday 23 July ∙ 1.10 pm
Greg Abate Quartet (USA)

‘Abate’s musical style can be seen as a distillation of swing’s easy-going vibe and bop’s more animated groove. He has developed a unique voice.’ San Jose Metro

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1947, saxophonist/flautist Greg Abate is now based in Rhode Island where he is an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College, though he is also much in demand for jazz festivals world-wide. Having graduated from Berklee, Greg spent his early years as a professional playing lead alto with the Ray Charles Orchestra. His first CD under his own name was released on Candid in 1991 and, 13 years and a dozen albums later, his 2004 release, Evolution, garnered Grammy nominations in four categories. Now established as a festival favourite, Greg again brings his distinctive saxophone style to Birmingham.

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