Band on the Wall up for jazz history plaque

Jazz fans have nominated Manchester’s Band on the Wall as a venue that's worthy of a blue plaque for having played a pivotal role in British Jazz. It's the only North West venue to be up for this prestigious award, and with your votes, it could win it.

Band on the Wall appears in the list of 12 venues shortlisted, along with the London’s Hammersmith Hippodrome and Ronnie Scotts.

The (Kind of) Blue Plaque scheme, set up by Brecon Jazz Festival organisers, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Miles Davis’ seminal jazz album Kind Of Blue and the ninetieth anniversary of the first jazz performance in Britain. Band on the Wall appears in the list of 12 venues shortlisted for the plaque, along with London’s Hammersmith Hippodrome and Ronnie Scotts.

Ian Croal, CEO at Band on the Wall, said: “It’s excellent to have been nominated for this award. When the venue reopens next month our wide-ranging programme will continue to include the finest jazz from home and abroad.

“We have promoted jazz at the venue for 30 years. This has included great Americans such as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and most of the finest UK players as well as many from Europe, Africa and elsewhere. A feature of the venue also is that, since the 1970s, it has had a jazz education programme. This will be continuing as part of our Learning and Participation programme from September.”

Voting is open now until this Thursday – go to bandonthewall.org and click on Brecon Jazz Award. The winning venue will be announced this Friday and the inaugural (Kind Of) Blue Plaque will be affixed to the outside of the winning venue in Summer 2010.