Celebrate the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival 2026 with Birmingham Museums Trust

Join us as we celebrate the 42nd year of the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival with a series of pop-up performances across six of our sites. Experience live music in our iconic spaces and discover jazz in some of Birmingham's most beautiful locations.

The performance will take place outside in the main courtyard at 1pm. A ticket to our jazz performance at Sarehole Mill costs £3.50. If you'd like to visit the Mill as well, you can buy an admission ticket with a £3.50 discount.

AL NICHOLLS
Al Nicholls is a swinging, warm-toned tenor sax player in the free-blowing, booting style of the “Texas Tenors” of the 1940s and 50s – the likes of Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate, et al.
After graduating from Leeds College of Music Al served his time in a succession of swing come jump-jive bands such as The Big Town Playboys, King Pleasure and Ray Gelato. He now leads his own jazz quartet and quintet, regularly performing at jazz clubs and jazz festivals the length and breadth of Britain. Al also hosts a twice-monthly residency at Soho’s Spice-of-Life Club featuring the finest of the UK’s mainstream musicians, such as Art Themen, Rico Tomasso and Nigel Price. He frequently appears with TJ Johnson, The Stargazers, Aisha Khan and her Rajas, amongst others.

‘His tenor playing is firmly in the exuberant, big-toned tradition of such 1940s and ‘50s swing to bop players as Illinois Jacquet and Charlie Ventura.’
Jim Denham, Just Jazz magazine – That Swing Thing review

Full Programme

Friday 24th July, 7:30pm
Jazz at the Museum Collection Centre, in the Transport Gallery

Wednesday 29th July, 1-3pm
Jazz at Thinktank, Level 0 

Thursday 30th July 1-3pm
Jazz at Blakesley Hall, in the Gallery

Friday 31st July, 6-9pm
Twilight Jazz at Aston Hall, inside the Hall

Saturday 1st August, 1-3pm
Jazz at Sarehole Mill, in the Courtyard

Sunday 2nd August, 1-3pm
Jazz at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, in the Tearoom