Jazz Festival

The third Annual Jazz Festival will take place on the 25th, 26th and 27th June 2010. The exciting news is that in addition to many of our favourites making welcome reappearances we will be having first time appearances from some of the jazz greats.

On the Saturday evening we will have legendry American Bob Wilber, master of the clarinet and soprano saxophone. Bob will be aged 84 when he plays for us, accompanied by his usual UK Trio. At the age of 3 Bob heard Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” and his love for jazz was born. As a teenager he joined forces with Dick Wellstood and Ed Hubble to form a band “The Wildcats”. He studied under Sidney Bechet whose soprano playing was so amazing that few took it up as their main instrument. Bob also studied classical clarinet and with modern jazz players such as Lennie Tristano. He emerged with his own voice and rapidly became one of the most sought after players. He was the natural choice for the aptly named Worlds Greatest Jazz Band and later formed a famous partnership with Kenny Davern “Soprano Summit”. Bob is also the first choice of Wynton Marsalis to play with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in New York and last year featured in the 100th Anniversary Benny Goodman Tribute. It is a tribute to the reputation of our Festival that Bob has agreed to com e a play. Bob has a home in the UK with his wife, the fine jazz singer Pug Horton. It is likely that Bob’s backing trio will include Richard Busakiewicz on piano and Dave Green on bass.