THE 30th Swanage Jazz Festival has launched this year’s programme.

Festival chairman, Paul Kelly said: “Swanage Jazz Festival has always attracted a good crowd to this picturesque seaside town and created a jazz family atmosphere. In spite of having to scale back a bit this year, we are delighted to present another strong and wide-ranging programme of outstanding talent. It’s going to be a great weekend that jazz enthusiasts really should not miss.”

Headlining the two-day festival on Saturday, July 13 are Swanage favourites Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble, The David Newton-Art Themen Duo, The Nigel Price Quartet and Greg Abate with the Craig Milverton Trio.

On Sunday, headliners include the sextet Hexagonal performing their tribute to McCoy Tyner and Bheki Mseleku, fast-rising singer Sara Dowling and her Quartet, popular vibes man Roger Beaujolais and Bossa Nova specialist Earl Okin.

The programme features at least 40 bands and the new organising committee say they have taken the opportunity of featuring some high quality regional talent including the Art Blakey inspired Sound of Blue Note, Tenor sax player Ian Ellis, described by the late Sir John Dankworth as ‘outstanding’, the South African-flavoured Philip Clouts Trio, the Afro-beat focussed Thokozile and the electric jazz-funk sounds of Harry Skinner’s Funkasaurus.

n Tickets are available online from swanagejazzfestival.co.uk, or can be collected from, the Swanage Tourist Information Centre or the town’s Mowlem Theatre.