Tony Dudley-Evans Artistic Director tony@birminghamjazz.co.uk Tony Dudley-Evans is a British linguist and expert in English for Specific Purposes. One of the most influential authors in the development of the modern notion of genre, he is usually grouped together with John Swales and Vijay Bhatia as the driving force behind recent developments in ESP. Since his retirement from academia in 2001 he has become a jazz promoter based in Birmingham, England. He is head of Birmingham Jazz and is Artistic Director of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Tony Dudley-Evans was educated at King Edwards School, Birmingham. Having gained a BA in Arabic (University of London), a PGCE in teaching English as a Foreign Language (University of Wales) and an MA in Applied English Linguistic (University of Birmingham), Tony pursued a career as a researcher and lecturer until his retirement in 2001. Among his best-know books are Developments in English for Specific Purposes, authored with Maggie Jo St John, and The Language of Economics, co-edited with economist Willie Henderson. Despite the demands of his 'day-job' he has also, since 1985, been the chair of Birmingham Jazz, an organisation which promotes up to 35 concerts a year at Symphony Hall, the CBSO Centre, the Adrian Boult Hall, the mac, The Drum, the Fiddle and Bone and the Glee Club. In Birmingham alone he has promoted around 700 jazz events since 1985. As a promoter Tony has brought real character and many new ideas to promoting jazz events in the City. He has commissioned great composers including Mike Gibbs, Tim Berne, Julian Joseph, Iain Ballamy, Tom Bancroft, Barbara Thompson, Billy Jenkins, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Liam Noble, Hans Koller, Ingrid Laubrock and many more. He received one of the BBC Jazz Awards in 2005 for Services to Jazz. Tony has also been an important support for the Birmingham Conservatoire's BMus Jazz course and now co-ordinates the Performance Platform class for final-year students. Tony has also been a member of the Arts Council's Music Panel and is on the Board of both Birmingham Arts Marketing and JazzDev.

Mary Wakelam General Manager mary@birminghamjazz.co.uk Mary has been working for Birmingham Jazz since 2005 and assists Tony with the development of the organisation which includes programming, marketing, education, fund- raising and strategic planning. She has led on several key projects for Birmingham Jazz including the resonance events Town Hall Birmingham partnership and the Jazz Club series. Under Mary's initiative Birmingham Jazz were able to attend Vision Festival in New York in June 2008 and whilst there set up a media partnership with influential music magazine Wax Poetics. As a graduate of the conservatoire jazz degree course on saxophone she has a strong passion for the music and continues to write and perform. She has recorded and distributed her music through Bagpak NYC and has recently received a BBC Performing Arts Award Urban Music Bursary which will enable her to develop her new seven piece ensemble Maylight and enhance her production skills.

Chris Mapp Administrator chris@birminghamjazz.co.uk Chris is the newest member of our team. As well as his responsibilities for Birmingham Jazz, Chris leads and plays bass with The Sub Ensemble. Long time supporter of the cause he has now become a formal member of our team helping out wih a variety of tasks to keep the good ship Birmingham Jazz afloat.