The 28th annual Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival will take place across the city this summer.

From 6 to 15 July, more than 170 performances will take place in 70 venues, including Brindleyplace, during the popular festival that attracted 96,000 visitors in 2011!

Attracting the biggest names in Jazz and Blues, the festival will showcase musicians from the USA, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Italy, China and of course, from across the UK.

Greg Abate with John Patrick Trio

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.

John Patrick’s piano playing has graced the performances of many American stars who have visited the country since the 1960s. For many years John fronted his own big band, but he is at his best in a small group playing hardswinging modern jazz.