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The Jazz Rag 164

May 13, 2021 bbadmin

Spring 2021 CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE Featuring: Exclusive interview with Darius and Chris Brubeck about continuing the family legacy…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Jazz Rag 163

March 2, 2021 bbadmin

CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE Continuing our series of profiles of great jazzmen from a golden age of jazz, one…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Takeover Show on Brum Radio

February 11, 2021 bbadmin

Big Bear MD Jim Simpson shared some of his favourite tracks from his 60 years and counting in the music…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

The Jazz Rag 162

November 27, 2020 bbadmin

Autumn 2020 CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE Featuring Annie Ross, Britain’s international jazz singing star, who died in July –…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Jazz Rag 161

September 11, 2020 bbadmin

Spring 2020 CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE The special lockdown edition, featuring: Al Gay remembered by Simon Spillett Interview with…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Quads: There Must Be Thousands

August 12, 2020 bbadmin

THE QUADS: THERE MUST BE THOUSANDS EP BB41 ‘There Must Be Thousands,’ the debut record release of Birmingham band The…

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Posted in: Big Bear Records, Catalogue

2020 British Jazz Awards Cancelled

August 11, 2020 bbadmin

It has been decided not to proceed with the 2020 edition planned for this Autumn.The award is always based on…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards

Chick Willis: Things I Used To Do

July 20, 2020 bbadmin

CHICK WILLIS: THINGS I USED TO DO BEARCD59 Previously unheard material recorded by The Stoop Down man himself, Chick Willis,…

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Posted in: Blues Catalogue, Catalogue

Jazz Rag 160

June 1, 2020 bbadmin

Jazz Rag 160 Winter 2020 Click here to read online Packed with the usual flush of news, reviews and features,…

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The Jazz Rag 159

March 19, 2020 bbadmin

THE JAZZ RAG 159 Winter 2019 Click here to read online Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

Birmingham Rocks at The Bull’s Head

January 28, 2020 bbadmin

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Posted in: Live

Henry’s Blueshouse at The Bull’s Head

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Posted in: Live, Uncategorized

The Jazz Rag 158

December 11, 2019 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 158 Autumn 2019 Click here to read online Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

2019 British Jazz Awards Results Announced!

December 2, 2019 bbadmin

2019 British Jazz Awards Results Announced! After a record 8200 jazz fans voted in this year’s British Jazz Awards, we’re…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards, Current Results

The Jazz Rag 157

October 7, 2019 bbadmin

THE JAZZ RAG 157 Summer 2019 CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

2019 British Jazz Awards Voting Now Open!

September 26, 2019 bbadmin

We are delighted to announce the nominations in this year’s British Jazz Awards. The UK’s longest-running awards for recognising the…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards

Potato Head Jazz Band: Stompin’ Around

August 2, 2019 bbadmin

POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND: STOMPIN’ AROUND Straight-ahead swinging Dixieland is not a music form normally associated with Southern Spain, but…

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Posted in: Catalogue, Jazz Catalogue

THE JAZZ RAG 156

June 4, 2019 bbadmin

THE JAZZ RAG 156 Spring 2019 CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Jazz Rag 155

May 22, 2019 bbadmin

Spring 2019 Click here to read online Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: The scandalous…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues, Uncategorized

The Jazz Rag 154

March 1, 2019 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 154 Winter 2018 Click here to read online Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Jazz Rag 153

December 7, 2018 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 153 Autumn 2018   Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: Big Bear…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

Alan Musson’s Jazz Kaleidoscope

November 7, 2018 bbadmin

Alan Musson’s Jazz Kaleidoscope   Big Bear MD Jim Simpson sat down with Alan Musson on Monday night on his Jazz Kaleidoscope…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Blues & Rhythm Revue Vol. 1: King Pleasure And The Biscuit Boys

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BLUES & RHYTHM REVUE VOL.1:  KING  PLEASURE AND THE BISCUIT BOYS Catalogue number  BEARCD41 Track listing: Kidney Stew Blues What…

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2018 British Jazz Awards Results

November 5, 2018 bbadmin

  2018 British Jazz Awards results announced   Many thanks to the 5500 people who voted in this year’s British…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards, Current Results

Jazz, The Blues and The Bear

October 12, 2018 bbadmin

An exhibition of rarely seen Jazz and Blues photography from the 1960s by Jim Simpson, taken in Birmingham. The musicians,…

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Posted in: Photo Archive, Uncategorized

Jagger, The Killer and The Prettiest Man In Rock and Roll

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Click here for captions accompanying the photos Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Mick Jagger have all been…

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Posted in: Photo Archive

Events Organised By Big Bear Music

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A Night At The Cotton Club [Countdown to The Millennium], sponsored by Ernst & Young 1991 Arctic Border Blues Festival:…

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Posted in: Artist Agency

Previous Birmingham Jazz Festival bands

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A Selected list of bands who have appeared in the Birmingham Jazz Festival Miles Davis [USA] Dizzy Gillespie Big Band…

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Posted in: Big Bear History

American Blues Legends

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American Bluesmen Brought to Europe, Toured and Recorded by Big Bear Music   Al Copley [New York, New York] Homesick…

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Posted in: Big Bear History

Henry’s Blueshouse Bands

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A PArtial List of Bands Who Played Henry’s Blueshouse   Alexis Korner John Hammond Jr Angus Judas Priest Anno Domini…

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Posted in: Big Bear History

Life Stories With Des Tong

October 10, 2018 bbadmin

Life Stories With Des Tong     October 2018 marks our 50th anniversary, but how did it all begin? Big…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

UK Chinese Times

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UK Chinese Times We were pleased to receive coverage for the Jagger, The Killer and The Prettiest Man In Rock…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Interview On Brum Radio

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Interview On Brum Radio Dave Travis invites Jim Simpson of Big Bear Records on to Brum Radio for music and…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

The Other Side Of…

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The Other Side Of…   Adrian Goldberg welcomed Big Bear MD Jim Simpson onto his BBC WM series, The Other…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Jagger, The Killer and The Prettiest Man In Rock and Roll

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Jagger, The Killer and The Prettiest Man In Rock and Roll Before founding Big Bear Music in 1968, Jim Simpson…

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Posted in: Press Coverage, Uncategorized

The Vinyl Guide

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The Vinyl Guide Big Bear MD Jim Simpson talks to Australian journalist on his The Vinyl Guide podcast about the Big…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Black Sabbath: The End

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Black Sabbath: The End   Black Sabbath’s first manager, and current Big Bear Music MD Jim Simpson, discusses the history…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Birmingham: The UK Capital of Rock and Roll

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Birmingham: The UK Capital of Rock and Roll   Jim Simpson, Big Bear Music MD, makes the case for Birmingham…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

Big Bear on Blues Unlimited

October 9, 2018 bbadmin

Big Bear on Blues Unlimited     During the 1970s, Big Bear had the pleasure of working with a number…

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Posted in: Press Coverage

The Jazz Rag 152

October 8, 2018 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 152 Summer 2018 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including:   – Scott…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

The Jazz Rag 151

July 31, 2018 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 151 Spring 2018 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: -Plan your summer…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

Howard McCrary: Moments Like This

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HOWARD MCCRARY: MOMENTS LIKE THIS Catalogue number BEARCD58 Howard, the ninth of ten siblings, was part of The McCrary Family…

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Posted in: Catalogue

Jazz City UK Volume 2

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VARIOUS ARTISTS: JAZZ CITY UK VOLUME 2 Catalogue number BEARCD57 “This is probably as close as we’ll ever get to…

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Posted in: Catalogue, Jazz Catalogue

2018 British Jazz Awards Nominations Announced

July 22, 2018 bbadmin

It gives us great pleasure to announce the nominations for this year’s British Jazz Awards. They’ve chosen their four favourites…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards

The Jazz Rag 150

May 2, 2018 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 150 Winter 2018 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: -Alan Barnes looking back at…

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The Jazz Rag 149

February 28, 2018 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 149 Winter 2017 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: Charlie And His Orchestra…

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Jazz City UK

January 17, 2018 bbadmin

VARIOUS ARTISTS: JAZZ CITY UK Catalogue number BEARCD56 Having hosted a major international Jazz Festival for 33 years, and still…

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Posted in: Catalogue, Jazz Catalogue

Lady Sings The Blues: Laughing At Life

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  LAUGHING AT LIFE Catalogue number BEARCD54   Billie Holiday’s life-story, as it has been told and retold over the…

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Posted in: Catalogue, Jazz Catalogue

The Whiskey Brothers: Bottle Up And Go

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THE WHISKEY BROTHERS: BOTTLE UP AND GO Catalogue number BEARCD54 The Whiskey Brothers’ journey has taken them from band to…

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Posted in: Blues Catalogue, Catalogue

The Jazz Rag 148

December 7, 2017 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 148 Autumn 2017 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: Dave Green’s journey…

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Posted in: Jazz Rag, Previous Issues

British Jazz Awards 2017 Results Announced

November 8, 2017 bbadmin

After receiving over 5000 votes, we are now pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 British Jazz Awards! Now in…

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Posted in: British Jazz Awards

The Jazz Rag 147

October 6, 2017 bbadmin

The Jazz Rag 147 Summer 2017 Packed with the usual array of news, reviews and features, including: Trumpeters on Retrospective…

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2017 British Jazz Awards Nominations Announced!

September 19, 2017 bbadmin

The nominations for the 31st edition of the British Jazz Awards have been announced. Now in their 31st year, the…

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The Jazz Rag 146

August 24, 2017 bbadmin

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Posted in: Previous Issues

THE JAZZ RAG 145

August 23, 2017 bbadmin

Winter/Spring 2017 Featuring Nat Hentoff remembered Jazz Centre UK (Digby Fairweather) Last of the Gunslingers (Simon Spillet) Intakt Records (At…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

THE JAZZ RAG 144

August 22, 2017 bbadmin

WINTER 2016 Featuring Chops (New jazz quiz) Non- Musicians in Jazz (Scott Yanow) The Mysteries of Glen Miller (Ron Simpson)…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

THE JAZZ RAG 143

August 21, 2017 bbadmin

AUTUMN 2016 Featuring Birmingham and Solihull Festival in Pictures Robert Fowler Rising Star: Alexander Bone Sorry Mr. Margolick John Billet…

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THE JAZZ RAG 142

August 20, 2017 bbadmin

AUTUMN 2016 Featuring Lady and the Communists (Origins of Strange Fruit) Jim Chapin Get in right: Joe Temperley Still swinging?:…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

THE JAZZ RAG 141

August 19, 2017 bbadmin

SPRING/SUMMER 2016 Featuring Julian Marc Stringle Who was George Frazier? Whisper Not (Benny Golson’s Autobiography) Epistles to the World (South…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

THE JAZZ RAG 140

August 18, 2017 bbadmin

SPRING 2016 Featuring Earl Hines (New Collection) 26 & Counting (Lady Sings the Blues Recordings Anniversary) New Branch of Jazz…

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Posted in: Previous Issues

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