Music Critic Liza Glushak interviews ‘Digbeth Jazz’, the rebranded event formerly known as ‘Jazz at The Spotted Dog’ , commenting on the legacy of the event, the anxieties in the move, and their goals for the future
Birmingham is a mixing pot for music, and jazz has been continuously making its statement as a genre which people want to see performed while sipping on a drink with their friends. ‘Digbeth Jazz’, a rebrand of the prestigious ‘Jazz at the Spotted Dog’, is a weekly night putting on gigs at The Night Owl in Digbeth every Tuesday. As the night has been establishing itself as a local favourite, Charlie Humphrey-Lewis, one of five organisers, provides insight into the behind the scenes, as well as the direction in which Digbeth Jazz is headed.
The Digbeth Jazz Rebrand
The jazz night has a long-standing legacy of 15 years, and was previously hosted at the local pub ‘The Spotted Dog.’ The hosting structure of the night is generational– everyone who’s ran the night is a jazz musician. Charlie, who is trumpet player and was a regular at The Spotted Dog since moving to Birmingham six years ago, was helping the previous organisers for a year until they asked him to take over in September 2024.
Digbeth Jazz’s debut at The Night Owl aligned with Charlie and the other organiser performing as a band. Inevitably, this was immensely stressful: ‘We had to put on a gig, but on top of that we had to deal with the new venue, figuring out the layout and the sound, worrying about the crowd turnout… Luckily, loads of people came and the rebrand was very well received.’
If we were at the top of the ceiling at the Dog, we’re on the bottom floor of the Night Owl, excited to extend it into a new direction
The reason for the rebrand was that the night needed to be pushed further in its potential: ‘At The Spotted Dog, it was at the top of its ceiling. Every week it was too full, making it hard to hear the music.’ The Night Owl has a stage at the front of the venue which further elevates the night, both in terms of spaciousness and bringing in artists that otherwise may not be as eager to perform in a pub setting. ‘It was a fresh start, but with the prestige and experience of 15 years. If we were at the top of the ceiling at the Dog, we’re on the bottom floor of the Night Owl, excited to extend it into a new direction.’
Selection Process for the Gigs: Understanding the Audience
Any gig needs an audience, and Birmingham has a vast jazz scene, with every hosting night drawing their own unique crowd. With the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire being at the heart of this, the scene is localised and well-connected: ‘The whole city is the scene. Everyone is looking out for each other.’ However, Charlie hopes that Digbeth Jazz will appeal not only to music students: ‘We’re trying to draw in an audience that isn’t just studying music; when I used to go to
the Dog, 80% of the audience played an instrument. Now, we want to make it more mass-received.’
Their social media, @digbethjazz on Instagram, has been vital to bringing in young people, as well as those older who have been regulars from the times at The Spotted Dog. With the other organiser, Dave, putting out consistent posters in the eye-catching colours of black and red, they have expanded their following, bringing in 700 new followers in two months since the rebrand.
We want to be the kind of place where you hear music you’ve never heard before
To the question of describing the brand of Digbeth Jazz, Charlie replies: ‘We want to be the kind of place where you hear music you’ve never heard before. I’m really interested in booking what would appeal to the audience, but also to myself. I would feel like I was doing a disservice to people if I was booking things that I wouldn’t personally listen to. You want to be passionate about what you put on.’ Though the night has had a strong focus on original, modern jazz, they do not intend to limit themselves, with plans in place to leave space for old, swinging jazz as well.
While Charlie acknowledges the luck in receiving many applications from artists that want to perform, each month brings the responsibility of filtering those through and choosing only the best. ‘We are open to different types of jazz, but because we [the organisers] are all musicians, some things speak a bit louder. As we settle into the venue, we want to branch out into bigger performers.’ They have involved artists from places like Germany, America, the UK, and many more, guaranteeing every Tuesday to bring something unexpected and different.
On Running the Night
To Charlie, the most rewarding element of running Digbeth Jazz has been playing an active role in the local community. ’When people come up after the show and share what an amazing time they’ve had– that knowledge is most rewarding, because then you know you’re booking the right people. Every week we stress whether people are going to show up, but each time the reception is so positive, and that’s the most fun.’
Nonetheless, the sky is their limit. With five organisers, Digbeth Jazz is full of ideas. After the performance, which usually runs for two hours with a 20 minute interval in between, there is a jam session, where musicians are free to take the stage and show off their own talents. Charlie hopes this will cultivate a space for beginner artists. ‘If you’re interested in learning about jazz, it’s great to just come and play a tune while learning from others as well.’
If you’re interested in learning about jazz, it’s great to just come and play a tune while learning from others as well
In terms of the performances themselves, the night plans to continue drawing in bigger names, even if that means occasionally raising the entry fee, which currently stands at a humble five pounds. ‘How cool would it be if one week you’d be paying a bit more, but seeing a superstar of jazz music? We want the room to be full with people not just traveling from Birmingham, but the West Midlands to come see those artists perform. We want to make the night as big as possible and create a real community. It’s a great space to meet people who might become your friends for life.’
Digbeth Jazz: To All Things Bigger and Better
Asking Charlie to highlight the main selling points of the night, he reiterates the excitement of hearing great music. ‘Every gig has been amazing and you’ll never be disappointed. You see some of the best musicians in the world, and relative to what it is, it’s very cheap. We’ve had artists who would normally charge more, but they’ve come to perform because they’re friendly and want to bond with the audience.’ And certainly, with ticket prices around the world constantly reaching new sky-rocketing costs, it is valuable for a local scene when performances have accessible fees.
As Charlie considers the future of Digbeth Jazz, he is very optimistic: ‘I see it getting bigger and better. The first few weeks we didn’t know if we’d be here long-term, but now The Night Owl has become the home of Digbeth Jazz and we are solidifying our place here. We want to get better kit and hardware to continue improving the quality of the night. Hopefully, that will continue drawing bigger artists and guaranteeing music that’s world-class. There’s limitless possibilities, it’s just about being assured and perfect in our plans.’
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