Swindon Jazz & Soul festival headlined by Omar Lye Fook MBE + QCBA

The 3rd Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival is here! A Wiltshire music event held at the beautiful grounds of Christ Church, Old Town Swindon. This year, we are extremely honoured to be supported with public funding by Arts Council England, AND we are adding a new musical element to the event.

The event now includes a showcase of music from Africa! As well as a full day of live music with musicians from Zimbabwe, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Caribbean artists from Dominica and Trinidad, the event are hosting African drum workshops for local schools and a dance workshop for the live music attendees on the Saturday of the live music event.

The live music will start with a Soul evening on Friday 14th April headlined by the iconic Nu Soul and Jazz artist Omar Lye Fook MBE and the star studded Jazz collective QCBA. Omar Lye Fook MBE is one of the greatest soul music talents the UK has produced in the last 40 years. Many legendary artists have lined up to collaborate with him musically, or simply sing his praises–from Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Common, through to Carleen Anderson, D’Angelo, and Angie Stone. QCBA is the brainchild of Quentin Collins (Trumpet) and Brandon Allen (Saxophone). They are a Hammond organ driven quartet of virtuosos playing smart, sassy, contemporary original music, influenced by the great Blue Note era of 1960s. Completing the line-up are the masterful Ross Stanley (Organ) and James Maddren (Drums).

The live music showcase then continues on Saturday 15th April with a full day and night of Jazz featuring acts such as former BBC Young Musician of the year Xhosa Cole, internationally acclaimed reedsman (and also Bad Manners’ saxophonist!) Adrian Cox, Gypsy Jazz quartet Swing From Paris and local pianist Gary Bamford.

Festival director Evie Em-Jay said ‘this year is the most exciting Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival so far as thanks to Arts Council Funding we can now incorporate workshops for schools and a larger music line up. There are many thousands of applications for funding so I’m extremely honoured to have been chosen this year especially as the arts industry is still recovering after the pandemic. I hope that the event reaches even more music fans as the best way to experience music is live and with others. I’m very pleased to once again hold the event at Christ Church as it’s a stunning setting and a great hub of the community.’

The event is also sponsored by Los Gatos who are enjoying their new expansion in Old Town.

Limited Early Yardbird tickets available, plus one or two day ticket options. Under 16’s free entry. Tickets from https://ccccswindon.co.uk/page/tickets