* A flashmob is the name for an organised but seemingly spontaneous mass arts event in a public place.

Flashmob is also the name of Cornish guitarist Ryan Williams’ band with Rory Simmons on trumpet, Will Collier on bass and Nick Smalley on drums.

The band has its debut album, Generals, now available on the F-IRE label, and it’s a tasty mix of the atmospheric and the trickily timed, but is generally a lot gentler than either the group or album names would suggest.

The quartet is in Birmingham this evening to show you how it sounds live. This Yardbird gig is presented by Cobweb Collective, starts at 9pm, and there is the usual jam session from 11pm.

Entry is free. More at www.cobwebcollective.com.

* On Friday you can have a jazzy lunchtime as well as early and later evening.

First, head for the Barber Institute at the main Birmingham University campus, where the Sam Crowe Group is giving a free concert from 1.10pm. More at www.barber.org.uk.

Crowe is a talented pianist and composer and this is something of an all-star band with Jasper Hoiby on bass, Dave Smith on drums and Adam Waldmann on saxophones and Will Davies on guitar.

You then have time to have a look around the Barber’s lovely galleries, which include works by Gauguin, Magritte, Turner, Monet, Rubens, Van Gogh and Botticelli, before heading back into town and some greasy organ trio sounds from Levi French and gang at the Symphony Hall foyer bar’s Rush Hour Blues session.

The music starts at 5.30pm, runs till 7pm, and is free.

Then go on to The Drum where saxophonist Lluis Mather is presenting his very interesting Noose band. Singer Holly Thomas and Mather combine voices in fresh ways on compositions which feature or are inspired by the writings of Philip Larkin, Robert Frost and Aldous Huxley. Dan Nicholls is on piano and Euan Palmer on drums.

The music starts at 8pm and entrance is £5. More at www.cobwebcollective.com

* On Saturday, the gig to go to is The Destroyers at Town Hall, not only because this band, which combines Balkan gypsy music, Celtic and other folk styles with a bit of jazz and a whole lot of madness, is superb live, but also because it has impeccable taste in support acts. For this gig in their autumn tour, the Mike Fletcher Big Band is promising some sumptuous charts and strong-minded soloists.

The fun starts at 8pm, and tickets are £10 to £12.50 from www.thsh.co.uk

* Meanwhile, over in Coventry, also on Saturday evening, catch pianist John Law’s OPT (other people’s tunes) band with Yuri Goloubev on bass and Asaf Sirkis on drums at Warwick Arts Centre.

All are great players and the other people upon whose tunes they will be bringing their creativity to bear include Monk, Miles, Sting and Nick Drake. This one starts at 7.45pm, and tickets are £12. More at www.jazzcov.co.uk