'Hero' Jasper Carrott takes to Birmingham and Sandwell Jazz Festival stage
He has a habit of turning up under the bright lights – and by the looks of things he is a man just as comfortable singing as he is telling jokes.
And now one of the West Midlands most loved entertainers has paid visit to an award-winning music festival to win over a new audience.
Widely-adored comedian, actor and personality Jasper Carrott got up on the microphone at the 34th edition of the Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell Jazz Festival.
The Brummie star was seen performing alongside the Duved Dunayevsky Quartet at the Brasshouse on Broad Street during Wednesday's (JULY 25) line up.
Carrott described himself as an 'enthusiastic supporter' of the festival and gave his best wishes for the continued success of the remaining days of jazz, blues, dance and film event.
Festival director, Jim Simpson, from Halesowen, said: "I do know him and Jasper is a bit of a pal. He is a hero to us really.
"He is a very musical person. Before he got anywhere near the stage he had three or four people taking selfies with him.
"His performance was hilarious. He never seems to plan anything and always seems to respond to everything other people do.
"The festival feels the best it has for years."
The 73-year old comedian's appearance follows two-life saving operations last year – where the Acocks Green-born Carrott underwent an operation to clear an artery in his neck and a quadruple heart bypass.
But there was no stopping the entertainer as he joked with crowds about neighbours enjoying the sound of him playing music so much they 'put bricks through his windows' to hear better.
A total of 234 performances were marked up across 115 venues for the festival – with 351 musicians appearing in 72 bands.
There are more than 100 performances left at the festival, with acts from Australia, Canada, France and the USA set to entertain fans.
Tomorrow will see the ten-day festival continue with performances from the Cannon Jazz Dancers, Les Zauto Stompers De Paris, C-Jam, the Chris Bowden Quartet, the Europa Jazz Band with Enrico Tomasso and many more.
Since its 1985 debut, the festival has generated £72 million and put on 6,297 performances, mostly for free, attracting a total audience in excess of 2.7 million people.
In 2017 the festival received The Lord Mayor’s Award in recognition of outstanding achievement and exceptional service to the to the City of Birmingham and its people through inspirational and dedicated work.
