With Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival just five weeks away, details have been announced of some of the free live music on offer during the four-day event.

The festival runs from Friday, May 26 until Monday 29. In addition to the ticketed performances by headline artists, there will be three afternoons of free live music in Blackmore Gardens, and further free live concerts at fringe venues throughout the festival.

The Blackmore Gardens sessions will run from 12pm until 5.30pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The artists include Faye Patton performing her unique Nu Jazz; The Violet Jive, cool retro Latin jazz; Dom Pipkin and The Ikos, New Orleans jazz, blues and funk; Connor Selby, the young award-winning British blues singer and guitarist; Orpheus Latin band, the Adam Sweet band, the Jazz Defenders, All Jazzed Up swing and jazz band, the darlings of the UK soul scene Hannah Williams and the Affirmations; and - a bit of a coup - Roland Gift of Fine Young Cannibals fame.

The fringe venues include Rincon Coffee, The Courtyard Café, The Chattery Sidmouth, Radway Inn, Dukes, The Swan Inn, The Kings Arms Otterton, The Balfour Arms, 14 Miles East, The Marine and the Blue Ball Sidford - and a special afternoon barbecue with swing and jazz at the Volunteer Inn on Sunday, May 28 at 4pm. 

Tickets are selling fast for the main headline evening concerts with Curtis Stigers, The Brand New Heavies, Mud Morganfield, and Courtney Pine. A recent addition to the programme is the Benoit Viellefon Hot Club, who will bring their Parisian Gypsy jazz and swing to Sidmouth Conservative Club on Monday, May 29 at 3pm. This intimate concert will appeal to audiences who appreciate the classic and sophisticated jazz of the 1920s and 30s.

Festival director Ian Bowden said: “We are incredibly proud of the diverse quality of music performances on offer during the festival this year. Our ethos is quality over quantity and there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

“Whilst this is only our second year, we are so encouraged by the tremendous support that we have received from the Sidmouth community and businesses, and from all the venues that are hosting live music.

“It will be a fabulous festival and we want everyone that attends with friends and family to have the best possible experience and to enjoy all that Sidmouth has to offer”. 

For more information and tickets, visit www.sidmouthjazz.com