RBC Jazz and Eastside Jazz Club

17/02/2026

11/02/2026

Ahead of his performance tomorrow with the Pablo Held Trio on day one of the the great Chris Potter stopped by the Eastside Jazz Club to offer a masterclass to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire students.

Here he is playing with two student rhythm sections. First up was Ben Shankland (4th year pianist), Macy Wright (4th year bassist) and Josh Rose (3rd year drummer. Then it was the turn of Josh Bailey (1st year pianist), Harvey Lee (3rd year bassist) and Dom Holyoake (4th drummer).

17/11/2025

The Mike Gibbs Exhibition remains in place on the second floor and in the Eastside Jazz Club this week, so if you're visiting for a concert or an audition, please take a look!

13/11/2025

Today is the day the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire present Michael Gibbs with an Honorary Doctorate!

Please join us in celebration. Here is the schedule for this special day:

3-4pm Honorary Doctorate ceremony and concert (Bradshaw Hall) Tickets available from RBC website.

5.30pm FREE small band performances (RBC Foyer) Boult's Bar will be open!

6.30pm Jazz Orchestra directed by Jeremy Price (Eastside Jazz Club) Free to Bradshaw ticket holders.

12/11/2025

The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Orchestra were busy yesterday, preparing for their performance from 6.30pm on Thursday as part of the Mike Gibbs Honorary Doctorate celebrations.

Tickets available from the RBC website: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/events-calendar/mike-gibbs-in-celebration-13-11-2025

12/11/2025

The archive exhibition of the Michael Gibbs Collection is installed on the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Level 2 Balcony and Eastside Jazz Club!

Thanks to everyone who contributed:
Kathryn Schultz
Pedro Cravinho
Brian Homer
Anthony Hughes
Benedict Sayers
Nici Gibbs
BCU Exhibition Team

The party continues...

08/11/2025

Ahead of Michael Gibbs receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Thursday, here's a look at the albums and soundtracks that have been released under his name over the past 55 years.

Only a few of these are available on streaming platforms, but they're all out there on CD and vinyl if you've got something to play then on!?!

Huge thanks to Esa Onttonen for compiling this great discography for Mike and hosting it on his website: https://gibbs.onttonen.info

Esa will be one of the composers on the panel this Wednesday evening, discussing the role of the composer in the contemporary jazz scene. FREE TICKETS available from the RBC website.

05/11/2025

As part of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's programme of events titled TO MICHAEL GIBBS: IN CELEBRATION, there will be a thought-provoking panel discussion event in which a group of professional musicians and academics will discuss "The Role of the Composer in the Contemporary Jazz Scene" with contributions from ESA Onttonen, Mike Fletcher Rebecca Nash and Ed Puddick

The panel will be chaired by Dr Pedro Cravinho and audience members will be invited to ask questions and contribute their own opinions.

This free event will be held in the Eastside Jazz Club from 6.30pm on Wednesday 12th November. Tickets available from the RBC website.

05/11/2025

From Tuesday 11th November visitors to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire will be able to see treasures from the Michael Gibbs Collection on display outside the Bradshaw Hall on level 2.

Huge thanks to Dr Pedro Cravinho, Brian Homer and Kathryn Schultz for their work in bringing this archive to life!