Jim Simpson awarded an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Birmingham.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival Director and first manager of Black Sabbath, Jim Simpson, has been awarded an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Birmingham. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

HISTORY BEHIND HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE OF FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival Director and first manager of Black Sabbath, Jim Simpson, has been awarded an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Birmingham.

Honorary degrees are awarded to those who have “made an impact on the university and society in a variety of ways.” In Jim’s case, he has made a resounding impact on the music scene in Birmingham, as well as contributing to the University via delivering modules, contributing artist photographs to exhibitions, and providing placement opportunities for students beginning their music careers. In a world where Jazz, Blues, and The Arts are not often accessible for free, Jim’s direction at the Jazz and Blue’s Festival is essential in keeping the musical heart of Birmingham very much alive and well.

Jim’s impact on music in Birmingham began back in the late 60s, when he would book bands at the buzzy and vibrant Crown pub. A huge range of musicians came through the Old Crown under Jim’s supervision, including Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, and Jethro Tull. He was also the first manager of iconic heavy metal band Black Sabbath, getting them through their first two albums and first hit single, “Paranoid.”

His management work has put Birmingham on the map in terms of Rock’n’Roll, but Jim’s first love is undoubtedly Jazz and Blues. His work at Big Bear Music, the UK’s longest-established independent record label based in the heart of Birmingham in Broad Street, has been instrumental in reigniting the careers of famous American Blues stars, such as Lightning Slim.

But perhaps Jim’s most-longstanding impact on music in Birmingham is his direction of the Birmingham Jazz and Blues festival. Jim and a team of just three other people have single-handedly delivered the festival to the benefit of Birmingham and musicians across the world for the last 40 years.

When presenting Jim his award, Jeremy Pritchard’s oration included that Jim’s “knowledge and influence is profound,” and that his contribution to music both “locally and globally is unsurpassed.”

This year, Jim directs the Birmingham Jazz and Blues’ festival’s 40-year anniversary. Between the 19th-28th July, the city will celebrate 40 years of accessible Jazz and Blues music, with the majority of the events being entirely free of charge. However, despite the impact and importance of the festival on Birmingham’s community, this year will be the first that the festival will not receive funding from Birmingham City Council, due to financial difficulties that have forced the council to cut their arts and culture budget.

Despite this financial setback, Jim and the team will not be deterred, as they “refuse to let this unique, vibrant and inclusive celebration of jazz and blues just fade away.” Thus, they have set up a GoFundMe, kindly asking their loyal supporters to contribute what they can to ensure the delivery of this iconic event.

Crucially, a key goal they are hoping to achieve is the preservation of free access that has defined the festival for the past 40 years. Especially in recent times where the cost of living has meant that many have had to cut back, accessible events such as these are essential to ensure that the community can celebrate and access music and the arts.

As of the 19th of July 2024, the festival has been in full swing, with 237 performances taking place in bars, cafes, clubs, theatres, restaurants, stately homes, arenas, squares, studios, hotels, hospitals, museums, music stores, art galleries, streets, stores, parks, railway stations, casinos, bandstands through much of the West Midlands, including Sandwell, Lye, Coventry, Kidderminster and more.

The honorary doctorate of music that Jim has received this week is a representation of the fundamental impact that he has had on both the local and global music scene as well as the University of Birmingham. This week, his work at the Jazz and Blues festival will continue to light up the city and surrounding areas.

For Festival Programme information: https://www.birminghamjazzfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jazz_Fest_2024_compressed.pdf

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-40th-birmingham-jazz-blues-festival

Attached below is the speech made by Jeremy Pritchard when presenting Jim with his Honorary Doctorate of Music.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Graduates, Graduands and Guests. It is my great pleasure to present to you Mr. Jim Simpson as an honorary Doctor of music at the University of Birmingham.

Tomorrow at 12:30 the 40th Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival, kicks off with the first performance in the mailbox with the boogie woogie piano man Ben Toury from Paris. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of over 230 Jazz and Blues events, in 115 venues across the West Midlands, including on trains and trams.

I’m telling you this because Jim Simpson with a team of just three other people has single-handedly delivered this festival to the benefit of Birmingham and musicians across the world for the last 40 years.

Honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham are awarded to people who have made an impact on the University and wider society in a variety of ways. The contribution of Jim to Birmingham, and to music both locally and globally is unsurpassed.

His first love is undoubtedly Jazz and Blues. Jim contends that Birmingham is the rock’n'roll capital of the UK. That this claim can be legitimately made is in no doubt significantly due to Jim’s efforts over many decades.

Jim played trumpet in a band called ‘Locomotive’ but was increasingly distracted by music management. Those of you who’ve come out the back entrance to New Street Station will be aware of the ‘Crown’ pub, now sadly boarded up and its future uncertain. However, in the late 60s it was a happening venue where Jim would book bands and give musicians the opportunity to develop.

Let’s get one thing out of the way; Jim was the manager of Black Sabbath, the originators of heavy metal. Jim got them through their first two albums including their biggest hit ‘Paranoid.’ They were however distracted by the bright lights of the big smoke, and as Jim puts it; ‘fast cars and men in suits’. He points out that Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath has now developed a perfume, 50mls will set you back £238. As Jim says; ‘not very rock’n'roll…’ Nor, in Jim’s opinion, is the Black Sabbath Ballet.

A huge range of musicians came through the Old Crown under Jim’s watchful eye, including Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull, and Judas Priest to name a few. Robert Plant and John Bonham could be seen propping up the bar.

Jim’s other deep love is American Blues. Jim was instrumental in reigniting the careers of some famous American blue stars. One example is Lightning Slim, found working in an iron foundry, encouraged with the provision of a new guitar and gigs in Birmingham and around Europe to start playing again so reigniting his career and the genre.

Jim can draw links between characters from the 30s depression coming down from Scotland, fighting Fascism in the Spanish civil war for the International Brigades, ending up delivering this country’s first ever live folk recordings, actually in The Crown in Birmingham and linking through to the Birmingham band UB40. His knowledge and influence is profound.

Honorary degrees reflect the achievements of the graduates but also their links to the University. Jim is a central contributor to a Module on ‘Music in the 60s’, project students have been guided by Jim studying ‘Birmingham Music of the late 50s’. Jim’s photographs of artists such as Nina Simone, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Muddy Waters and the Spencer Davis group have been the subject of an exhibition on Campus. He provides placement opportunities for our music students to play live in music venues. Jim is keeping the soul and the spirit of the Old Crown Hotel alive.

I finish by reminding you to make sure you have in your diary 8:30pm on the 28th July in the Nightclub ‘Snobs’ where the ‘Swing Cats’ from Spain will bring Jim’s 40th jazz and Blues Festival to a close. I now bring this oration to an end…

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, to you and to the University I present Mr Jim Simpson, deemed worthy of admission to the degree of Doctor of Music, Honoris Causa.