Cheltenham Jazz Festival

Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2012 will see six days of beautiful, bold and brilliant music come to Cheltenham, featuring the likes of Paloma Faith, Steve Winwood, Jamie Cullum, Imelda May and many more.

The annual live music spectacular known as Cheltenham Jazz Festival represents the start of the summer in Gloucestershire, and 2012 will be no exception when the world-class festival provides the perfect setting for May bank holiday weekend celebrations.

Taking place at the finest indoor and outdoor venues across the beautiful spa town, Cheltenham Jazz Festival will include a feast of individual events from Wednesday 2 to Monday 7 May 2012, with popular starlet Paloma Faith taking on the role of festival artist in residence.

The themes for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2012 are Best of British, Jamie’s Picks, Jazz Legends, New Music & Premieres, New to the Jazz Festival?, Norwegian Jazz, Show Stopping Vocalists and Something Different, with SoGlos.com’s highlights as follows:

Best of British

Matt Schofield will be playing a powerful mix of blues, jazz and New Orleans funk at the Jazz Arena on Thursday 3 May 2012, from 7pm, with tickets costing £15.

Kit Downes and Seb Rochford, dubbed two of the most innovative British jazz musicians of the last decade, will come together for a performance at Parabola Arts Centre on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 10.15pm, with tickets costing £12.

Lighthouse are returning in their original line-up – featuring Simcock, Garland and Sirkis – playing songs from their critically acclaimed album ‘Libra’. The gig takes place at the Jazz Arena on Monday 7 May 2012, from 7.15pm, with tickets costing £15.

Jamie’s Picks

Friday Night is Music Night: Ray Charles will see the Guy Barker Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra take audiences on a journey through the life and music of Ray Charles – to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2. The event takes place at The Big Top on Friday 4 May 2012, from 8pm, with tickets priced from £28 to £38.

Gregory Porter Featuring Jamie Cullum will see the soulful singer, who exploded onto the scene following a spellbinding performance on Later With Jools Holland, joined by special guest Jamie Cullum to deliver an anticipated show. This event takes place at The Big Top on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 2.30pm, with tickets costing from £16 to £22.

Bill Frisell will be bringing Cheltenham Jazz Festival audiences an engaging performance of beautifully melodic compositions. Frisell is regarded as one of the world’s finest guitarists and composers. This gig takes place at The Big Top on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 5.45pm, with tickets costing from £18 to £25.

Jazz Legends

Marcus Miller will be showing why he’s dubbed one of the best electric bass players in the business, having won a Grammy Award and played with everyone from Miles Davis to Frank Sinatra. This event takes place at The Big Top on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 5.45pm, with tickets priced from £18 to £25.

John Taylor, the celebrated British pianist, is set to perform a concert of classically influenced jazz – leading a specially formed eight-piece group. This event takes place at the Jazz Arena on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 1.15pm, with tickets priced at £15.

Jeff Williams will be the drummer and composer in this performance by four of New York’s finest musicians, promising a hard hitting, hard swinging show. This event takes place at Parabola Arts Centre on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 7.15pm, with tickets priced at £14.

New Music & Premieres

TG Collective is set to perform an eclectic mix of flamenco, gypsy, contemporary classical and jazz-influenced originals and arrangements. This event takes place at The Daffodil on Thursday 3 May 2012, from 7.15pm, with tickets costing £60 – including a three-course set menu dinner and cocktail on arrival.

Tweedle Dee is penned as an exciting new collaboration bringing together top players from London’s Loop Collective and Paris’ Coax Collective – and this show will see performers juggle ‘raucous improvisations and anthemic compositions'. This event takes place at Parabola Arts Centre on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 9.45pm, with tickets costing £14.

Paloma Faith and The Guy Baker Orchestra will see the retro soul sensation return to Cheltenham to close the festival, with a world exclusive of her new album alongside the fabulous Guy Barker Orchestra. This event takes place at The Big Top on Monday 7 May 2012, from 8.30pm, with tickets costing from £30 to £50.

New to the Jazz Festival?

Steve Winwood is regarded as a legendary singer, pianist and songwriter, and he’ll be performing an exclusive UK show ahead of his spring USA tour. This event takes place at The Big Top on Wednesday 2 May 2012, from 8.30pm, with tickets costing from £22 to £26.

The Puppini Sisters are set to bring new life to songs that have existed in the public consciousness for over half a century, complete with sweetly charming vocal harmonies. This concert takes place at The Big Top on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 9pm, with tickets priced at from £18 to £22.50.

Imelda May, the queen of rockabilly, returns to the festival with her stompin’ anthems ‘Johnny Got A Boom Boom’ and ‘Inside Out’, delivering an electrifying blend of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll with rhythm ‘n’ blues. This event takes place at The Big Top on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 9pm, with tickets costing from £18 to £24.

Norwegian Jazz

Trondheim Jazz Exchange will see the finest young talent from three bands, formed by students from Trondheim Conservatory and Birmingham Conservatoire, deliver an afternoon highlight. This concert takes place at Parabola Arts Centre on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 3pm, with tickets costing £8.

Helge Lien Trio will be continuing the great tradition of Scandinavian jazz piano trios, having built a reputation for their poetic sensibility and tender melodies – and as one of Europe’s leading jazz groups. This event takes place at the Jazz Arena on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 7.30pm, with tickets costing £13.

Hilde Marie Kjersem is a Norwegian singer and harpist who’ll be performing jazz-influenced pop music with a twist. This event takes place at the Jazz Arena on Monday 7 May 2012, from 3pm, with tickets priced at £14.

Show Stopping Vocalists

Jacqui Dankworth is not only the daughter of Dame Cleo Laine and the late Sir John Dankworth, but she’s also dubbed one of the country’s leading jazz vocalists. This event takes place at The Daffodil on Wednesday 2 May 2012, from 8pm, with bar seat tickets costing £15.

Melody Gardot will draw upon elements of jazz, blues, folk and country with her deeply expressive, sensitive and seductive voice. This event takes place at The Big Top on Thursday 3 May 2012, from 8.30pm, with tickets priced at from £18 to £24.

Zara McFarlane is said to be blessed with a fine voice, and she’ll be performing a mix of classic standards alongside her own originals in this evening show. This event takes place at The Daffodil on Friday 4 May 2012, from 7.15pm, with tickets costing £60 – including a three-course set menu dinner and cocktail on arrival.

Something Different

Sheelanagig have been honing their eclectic blend of Balkan folk, jazz and world music since early 2005, with their live gigs said to combine virtuosic musical performance with a dynamic and irreverent stage presence. See the Bristol-based band perform at the Jazz Arena on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 4pm, with tickets priced at £12.

The Speakeasy will be Cheltenham’s first event of its kind, and see guests transported back to the prohibition era of 1920s and 30s America – featuring liquor, dancing and live music from The Rabbit Foot Spasm. This event takes place at The Daffodil on Saturday 5 May 2012, from 10.30pm, with tickets priced at £25 – including a prohibition teapot cocktail.

Chris Mapp Trio is set to give a relaxing lunchtime performance, including three musicians who are all key members of Birmingham’s thriving jazz scene. This event takes place at Hotel du Vin Cheltenham on Sunday 6 May 2012, from 12pm, with tickets priced at £50 – including a three-course set lunch and coffee.

For the full line-up of events and to book tickets in advance, as well as information on festival venues, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz directly.