* A flashmob is the name for an organised but seemingly spontaneous mass arts event in a public place.
Flashmob is also the name of Cornish guitarist Ryan Williams’ band with Rory Simmons on trumpet, Will Collier on bass and Nick Smalley on drums.
The band has its debut album, Generals, now available on the F-IRE label, and it’s a tasty mix of the atmospheric and the trickily timed, but is generally a lot gentler than either the group or album names would suggest.
The quartet is in Birmingham this evening to show you how it sounds live. This Yardbird gig is presented by Cobweb Collective, starts at 9pm, and there is the usual jam session from 11pm.
Entry is free. More at www.cobwebcollective.com.
* On Friday you can have a jazzy lunchtime as well as early and later evening.
First, head for the Barber Institute at the main Birmingham University campus, where the Sam Crowe Group is giving a free concert from 1.10pm. More at www.barber.org.uk.
Crowe is a talented pianist and composer and this is something of an all-star band with Jasper Hoiby on bass, Dave Smith on drums and Adam Waldmann on saxophones and Will Davies on guitar.
You then have time to have a look around the Barber’s lovely galleries, which include works by Gauguin, Magritte, Turner, Monet, Rubens, Van Gogh and Botticelli, before heading back into town and some greasy organ trio sounds from Levi French and gang at the Symphony Hall foyer bar’s Rush Hour Blues session.
