The Jam House continues to make the right sounds

Feb 20 2009 Business Profile by Jayne Howarth, Birmingham Post

The Jam House is well-established as Birmingham’s music venue for the more discerning. Jayne Howarth spoke to the club’s manager, John Bunce, about how he plans to keep ahead of the game.

The man from the Jam House laughs as he relates how he recently got into a pickle.

John Bunce, the operations manager at Birmingham’s live music venue, is recalling a trip to Edinburgh when he was delivering a piano.

The car he normally drives can easily do the journey from the Midlands to the Scottish city on a tank of diesel.

But he hadn’t accounted for the fact that he was dragging a trailer containing a large instrument. He ran out of fuel on the motorway and had to go in search of diesel to get going again.

At the point of desperation, the last thing you need is a phone call, but his mobile rang. It was a journalist trying to arrange a meeting with him, but circumstances meant that the caller had to be despatched quickly.

I thought he’d sounded a little harassed.

No matter, for I finally get to see him on a cold, January morning. And he is still smiling at the unfortunate episode with the car and piano.

John Bunce smiles a lot. He is happy with his lot. It is no surprise, really. He must have one of the best management jobs in the city.

He was asked by his bosses at Luminar Leisure, which owns the Jam House, to “look after” it for two or three months. That was five years ago and he has helped to turn the place into one of the city’s premier nights out.

It has been hard work, but he clearly revels in challenges (or opportunities, as they are usually called nowadays).

“The Jam House is unique,” he asserts, sipping on a strong cappuccino in the Bucklemaker, which is just across the road from his venue in St Paul’s Square.

“There’s nowhere in Birmingham that puts all the elements we have together: good food, dancing and excellent live music.”

This year, the Jam House celebrates its tenth anniversary in the city. Over the years, some big names have played there: Glenn Tilbrook, Jools Holland, Ocean Colour Scene, The Beat and Bev Bevan.

And, while there will be a party to celebrate the milestone birthday, there will be plenty of opportunities to join the party.

For John, who lives in Bournville, has organised a series of top-notch gigs, which include the Jam House’s musical director Jools Holland, former Soft Cell singer Marc Almond, 1960s jazz stars Chris Farlowe and Cliff Bennett and, for the first time, The Manfreds, fronted by Paul Jones.

He is also excited by the booking of jazz stalwart Buddy Greco, who will be playing a gig in July. The Rat Pack pianist, who is in his 80s, has more than 150 albums under his belt and is famed for such numbers as The Lady Is A Tramp.

But he is equally animated when it comes to the unsigned singers/pianists and home-grown talent that are given the stage at the 500-capacity venue.

He is keen that those who are given gigs are more than background musicians: they