The Swanage Jazz Festival has announced that it’s going to be a three day affair in 2020, boosted by the success of last year’s event. The festival that nearly didn’t happen in 2017, is now back with a new Swanage-based committee and is again attracting big names.
Three years ago, the committee that had run it for 27 years retired and it looked for a while that the festival might not continue. However it managed to survive and what only ran for Saturday and Sunday last year, is now back to three days.
The preliminary line up of performers has just been released and headlining on Saturday night will be contemporary jazz musician, Yazz Ahmed who plays an electric trumpet with her seven piece Hafla Band.
Traditional and contemporary jazz
Mixing the traditional with the contemporary, the festival also stars The Simon Spillett Big Band performing the music of Tubby Hayes. The 18 piece band features some of the top names in British Jazz including Art Themen, Henry Lowther, Alan Barnes, Mark Nightingale, Alec Dankworth and Clark Tracey.
Chair of Swanage Jazz Festival, Paul Kelly said:
“I am delighted that following last year’s successful event, we are able to strengthen this year’s programme. Our aim is to build Swanage back to one of the UK’s top jazz Festivals in one of the most distinctive seaside locations for jazz.
Our line-up this year includes a wide range of the very best acts with a mix of industry legends and rising stars. The Festival Team and I are also really pleased to be able to bring back some of the excellent regional names that went down so well with audiences last year.”
The festival expects to be promoting around 60 acts over the long weekend including a free fringe festival with around 20 sessions by local bands in Swanage pubs and hotels.
For more details visit the Swanage Jazz Festival website
