"All the world's a stage," said that famous playwright William Shakespeare. "Absolutely," added that renowned jazz festival director Jim Simpson, "and there shall be jazz played on that stage."
And so whether it's a pub or a shopping centre, a cinema or an art gallery, a museum or a canal boat, even a London mainline railway station or a train bound for Birmingham, that's where jazz will be present in abundance from Friday, as the 24th Birmingham International Jazz Festival gets those toes tapping.
It all starts at lunchtime with free jazz in Solihull's Touchwood Centre and Birmingham's Mailbox, while new festival patron Digby Fairweather (stepping into the giant shoes vacated by the late Humphrey Lyttelton) is at the Plough & Harrow Hotel.
Hard-working singer Becky Brine and her Rhythm Boys will be singing at Marylebone Railway Station in London from 4pm, before catching the Birmingham Jazz Express - the end of the week trip home will never have been quite so swinging.
There is a posh summer ball on Friday evening at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, while a new, strong Blues strand to the festival kicks in.
Jim Simpson has always been a man to celebrate jazz's wide variety of styles, so he had no problem giving in to "irresistible pressure" from board member John James.
Jim explains: "It takes place at a new venue, The Asylum, and consists of four shows, one of them a free entry, open mic affair with four invited bands entitled "Poor Bob's Blues Bunker" - Poor Bob being the local blues journalist who will host it.
"The other shows present Bill Sheffield (From Atlanta, Georgia), Lightnin' Willie & the Poorboys (Houston, Texas), The Cadillac Kings, Oli Brown Band (Oli is a teenage guitarist widely touted to be the next big thing in blues) and a night featuring the blues girls - Wild Women Get The Blues with The Rogue Dolls, Lexie Stobie Band and Sam Payne."
Jim is sensitive to the (completely inaccurate) claims that trad jazz has dominated the festival:
"There's virtually no trad again this year, but some great classic jazz bands from Europe and Australia, namely Budapest Ragtime Band (Hungary), Bourbon Street Stompers from Germany, the six guys and three girls who make up Michael McQuaid's Red Hot Rhythmakers from Australia, Dixieland Crackerjacks from Holland and Les Zauto Stompers from France.
"Out of 200 performances, nine could be considered to be trad. And trad of good quality."
Among the world-class players here during the 10 days of the festival are saxophonists Alan Barnes, Art Themen and the extraordinary keeper of the Tubby Hayes flame, Simon Spillet, trumpeter Bruce Adams, and the amazing Dutch violinist Tim Kliphuis is back, too.
Back to the first weekend, and highlights include the Birmingham Jazz Youth Ensemble playing the Friday early evening session in the foyer bar at Symphony Hall, Here's to Humph, an illustrated talk by Digby Fairweather at Borders on Saturday afternoon, and a tribute to the Swing era with Garry Allcock & His Midlands Jazz All-Stars Big Band, plus singers Jeff Hooper and Tina Law, at Birmingham Town Hall on Saturday night.
On Sunday, you could catch Simon Spillett, with the John Patrick Trio, at either the Ha Ha Bar & Grill (3pm) or The Living Room (8pm).
And if the only jazz you fancy is the rock band kind, then the finest tribute band I've ever heard is at the Glee Club on Sunday night. They are Nearly Dan.
As usual there is too much going on for one little jazz diarist to get his head around, so for full details go to birminghamjazzfestival.com, or pick up a brochure from the main information point which is the Wine REPbublic, at the Rep Theatre in Centenary Square. Mark Skirving, better known to us as Biscuit Boys main man King Pleasure, is exhibiting his paintings there, all through the festival, as well.
* Meanwhile, 20 miles north the Lichfield Festival starts on Thursday and although the Friday evening Puppini Sisters show is sold out you can still get to hear the Bryan Corbett Quartet at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre on Sunday evening. Bryan is playing some new stuff for Flugel horn and in the good acoustics of this theatre it should sound a dream. For more information and to book tickets, call 01543 412121 or go to lichfield-festival.org
* If you have any news or views you'd like to share, email me at peterbacon@mac.com The blog is at thejazzbreakfast.blogspot.com
