Music legend Fred Wesley and ‘Maestro of Funk’ DJ Craig Charles are the latest big name additions to Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival (Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July 2023, Birmingham).
US trombonist Wesley is one of the founding fathers of funk. Serving as arranger and musical director/band leader for James Brown during the 1960s-1970s, he recorded such seminal tracks as Say It Loud (I’m Black And I’m Proud). He then went on to lead Fred Wesley and The JBs (recording Pass The Peas) and play with such acts as George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, the Count Basie Orchestra, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Womack, Young Disciples, Earth Wind and Fire, and many others.
Having previously stormed Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival back in 2012, Fred Wesley and The New JBs return to the main stage on Saturday.
After taking a brief break, Craig Charles is also back on Mostly’s main stage – this time with added dancers. The actor, writer, broadcaster and DJ joins Sunday’s bill, where the BBC 6Music icon guarantees an inspired selection of crowd-pleasing funk and soul bangers!
Alongside the new A-list additions, the long-running festival has also revealed two Afterparties, which take place at the nearby Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Goldie, fresh from his main stage ‘band’ appearance, will be DJing on Friday 7 July, while rising local hero Sam Redmore takes to the decks on Saturday 8 July. Leftfoot DJs also appear on both nights, which start at 10pm. Tickets, which are limited, are on sale now.
With a line-up that spans genres, Brum’s famed Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival 2023 sees previously announced appearances from Fat Freddy’s Drop, Kokoroko, Goldie (live), Jungle DJ Set and Crazy P Soundsystem (Friday); Ezra Collective, Smoove and Turrell, Heavy Beat Brass Band, Boca 45 and Young Gun Silver Fox (Saturday); and KC and The Sunshine Band, Incognito, Huey Morgan, Norman Jay, Jamz Supernova and Mica Millar (Sunday) – plus much more.
Alongside the music bill, the festival is also hosting a series of workshops, performances and activities with Birmingham Royal Ballet, street culture specialists High Vis Festival, and Dead Pixels (with their retro gaming caravan), plus Sofunk Dance Fitness, Drum N Bounce, The Swing Era, and dance tutor/dancer Ed Quigley.
With the full line-up now revealed, Mostly Jazz has also issued a call-out for volunteers. A variety of roles are available for those aged 18+, who gain free entry for the full event in return for two shifts. More information on how to apply can be found on the Mostly website.
Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival runs from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July 2023. Tickets are on sale now from £57 per day or £145 for the full festival (plus booking fee). A Payment Plan is also available.
For more details, see: mostlyjazz.co.uk
LISTINGS
Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July 2023
Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival
Moseley Park and Pool, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8DD
Website: mostlyjazz.co.uk
Social media:
facebook.com/mostlyjazz
twitter.com/mostly_jazz
instagram.com/mostly_jazz/
– Friday 7 July 2023 –
Fat Freddy’s Drop
Kokoroko
Jungle DJ Set
Goldie (Live)
Crazy P Soundsystem
Eva Lazarus – Jasmine Myra – Lynks – TrueMendous – Emma-Jean Thackray (DJ set) – Leftfoot DJs – Reli.ah – Nikhil Beats
– Saturday 8 July 2023 –
Ezra Collective
Fred Wesley and The New JBs
Smoove and Turrell
Mr Scruff
Boca 45
Young Gun Silver Fox
Alogte Oho and His Sounds Of Joy – Mafalda – Leftfoot DJs – Toni – Heavy Beat Brass Band – The Notebenders – Lara Jones – Gabriella Liandu – Lucas D & The Ghetto Grove – B Music Ensemble
– Sunday 9 July 2023 –
KC & The Sunshine Band
Incognito
Craig Charles
Norman Jay MBE
Jamz Supernova
Huey Morgan
Mica Millar – Leftfoot DJs – VC Pines – Freekind – Mychelle – The Coalminers – Soul Grenades – O. – Ella More – Island T – Leftfoot DJs
Tickets: Adult Day Tickets – £57 (+ booking fee); Adult Weekend (3 days) – £145 (+ booking fee).
Payment Plan also available (£50 + booking fee, upon order; first instalment £50, 1 April; final instalment £45, 1 May 2023).
See festival website for all ticket options.
Volunteer with Mostly Jazz: Gain free entry to the festival in return for 2x shifts. For more information, see: mostlyjazz.co.uk/volunteer/
– Afterparties –
Friday 7 July 2023:
Goldie (DJ set) and Leftfoot DJs (£15 + booking fee)
Saturday 8 July 2023:
Sam Redmore and Leftfoot DJs (£5 + booking fee)
Hare and Hounds, 106 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7JZ, from 10pm.
ABOUT MOSTLY JAZZ FUNK AND SOUL FESTIVAL
Debuting in 2010, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival is a diverse, vibrant festival, celebrating ground-breaking, innovative UK music alongside international trailblazers. Held in Moseley Park, a stunning 11-acre woodland glade in the heart of Moseley Village, the festival is just two miles from the centre of Birmingham, yet is a world away from city life. With sloping grounds, creating a natural amphitheatre in front of the beautiful lake, it’s the perfect setting for a festival. Each year Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul brings incredible artists, workshops, arts, crafts, and a selection of Birmingham’s most loved street food and drinks vendors to Moseley, for one epic party weekend.
Previous headliners include Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Public Enemy, Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, De La Soul, Bonobo, The Specials, and The Wailers.