The Cheltenham Jazz Festival was started in 1996, under the direction of Jim Smith, and has established itself as one of the UK's most popular annual jazz festivals. With a programme now developed by Tony Dudley-Evans and Festival Director Ian George, the Cheltenham Jazz Festival consists of a broad range of jazz in many guises. The next Cheltenham Jazz Festival will take place on 5 - 10 May 2020.
As the festival grows so does its side line, The Fringe. Located in pubs, parks and restaurants around Cheltenham, The Fringe allows small bands and artists to show their talent and make a name for themselves. Many gigs are often free and enable people to get a little taster of what is going on in the jazz world, whilst significantly contributing to the festival vibe throughout the town. Many famous performers such as Jamie Cullum have played at The Fringe before becoming successful jazz musicians.
Education
A variety of workshops and ‘masterclasses’ are available to children, teenagers and adults throughout the festival. These have included popular band, drum and voice workshops, as well as advice from jazz musicians on performance and improvisation.
Venues
The events of Cheltenham Jazz Festival mainly take place in a tented village in Montpellier Gardens, including a Big Top, the Jazz Arena and a Free Stage surrounded by food traders, secret gardens and festival bars. Dinner concerts and some other performances are also played in other venues around town, such as the Playhouse Theatre, the Daffodil Restaurant, the Parabola Arts Centre of Cheltenham Ladies' College and Cheltenham Town Hall.
After being previous partners with the Festival, the year 2009 saw the Czech beer company Budvar successfully become the title sponsors of Cheltenham's Jazz Festival, making the full name "Budvar Cheltenham Jazz Festival".
The Jerwood Jazz Generation series is the result of a long-standing partnership between the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation to nurture the British Jazz legends of the future. Since 2002 the scheme has backed more than 50 young British artists who come to Cheltenham to premiere a new commission, launch a new band or for a valuable second outing of a new project. The series has seen such rising stars as Bryan Corbett, Soweto Kinch, Ingrid Laubrock, Gwilym Simcock and Seb Rochford, and has produced landmark projects such as Denys Baptiste's Let Freedom Ring! and Abram Wilson's Ride! – Ferris Wheel to the Modern Day Delta.
Fringe artists
2008's ‘Fringe’ performers included: Nia Lynn's 'The Bannau Trio', Le Tatou Bleu, Swing From Paris, Blue Soup, Monk's Milk, Strung Out, Clint Denyer, The Dave Greatrex trio, Joe Summers, Rokhsan Heydari, Peter Hopcroft Quartet, Step Change, Sam Wooster trio, Ricardo Gazzini, Alex Merritt Quartet, Aida severo, Xposed Club Performance, Edward Leaker Trio, Fat Digester, Moment's Notice, Tym Jozwiak, Adam Sanders Quintet, 8-Fold, Ben Bryden, Jamie Safiruddin Quartet, Espresso, Patsy Gamble, Salsa del sol, Andre Canniere, Tommy Charles Quartet, Melonious Funk, IPSO Facto, Big Brunch Band, Steve Franks & Janey Ross, Bunty and The Worm, Tom Bunting quartet, Gareth Roberts Quintet, Alcyona Mick Quintet, Free Spirits, Royal Oak Brass and The Indigo Kings.
Cheltenham festivals
Cheltenham Jazz Festival is one of the four festivals that Cheltenham Festivals run each year. Combined with the Science, Music and Literature Festivals, Cheltenham Festivals host over 800 events across 12 months.
