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Bournemouth Jazz Festival: April 22^nd- 24^thThe King's Hall, Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth Pavilion and other venues

29 February 2016: Bournemouth Jazz Festival was sad to learn this weekend that legendary drummer Ginger Baker requires urgent heart surgery and as a result is cancelling all forthcoming bookings. Mr Baker was scheduled to headline the Bournemouth Jazz Festival on Saturday 23 April.

The Festival is working with booking agents on an alternative headline act and a further announcement will be made in due course. Gerry Clarke, Festival Director said "we are really sorry to lose Ginger Baker from the Festival line up and our best wishes go out to him for a successful operation and a speedy recovery."

Refund arrangements for existing tickets sales will be announced in due course.

The Bournemouth Jazz Festival boasts a Headline Acts programmecomprising top international and national jazz names including saxophonistJean Toussaintwho worked with the legendary Art Blakey and the much-loved singerTina Mayand rising trumpet starYazz Ahmed.

A "World Jazz Jamboree"featuring jazz styles from Africa, Europe, India, The Middle East and South America.

A "Jazz Village"in Bournemouth Town Centre with a live music stage, food and drink stalls and a programme of ‘street jazz' across the town with additional "razzmajazz" pockets planned for Westbourne, Southbourne and Boscombe.

An education programmefeaturing jazz workshop opportunities for young musicians followed by a schools jazz competition in which bands will be judged and given feedback from an expert panel of judges.

A culminatingAwards Ceremony with Concertwill feature The Dorset Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Bournemouth University Big Band plus special guests.

In addition the Festival will feature many of Bournemouth and Dorset's best-loved jazz musicians and groups including tenor sax playerIan Ellis's Quartet, trumpet playerAndy Urquhart's Sound of Blue Notewith special guestMark Nightingaleadded on trombone, celebrated club singerRachel More, Sarah Bolter's "Not Just Sax"with special guestTina Mayon vocals,The Swing Unlimited Big Bandperforming a night of swing classics,The Girls Only Jazz OrchestraandZoe Schwarz'saward winningBlue Commotion band.

The expanded 2016 Bournemouth Jazz Festival has been made possible by successful funding bids to Arts Council England, The Bournemouth Coastal BID and The Bournemouth Town Centre BID.

Paul Clarke, Coastal BID Chairman and General Manager of the Bournemouth Hallmark West Cliff Hotel said, "The vision of the Bournemouth Jazz Festival team is to create a world class event that will attract visitors to Bournemouth and help to establish the town as an internationally recognized jazz venue with the Festivalpositively contributing to the town's future economic growth and cultural development."

Festival Director Gerry Clarke commented "We had a great response to last year's Festival and I was able to recruit a team of experts to help me develop it into something much bigger. We've lots of great quality jazz in the programme with more still to be finalised and announced. But it's not just about the music. We want people to come to Bournemouth and enjoy the perfect jazz weekend by the sea. We are aiming to raise the town's cultural profile, widen its appeal and build its economy as well as encouraging new talent and developing international links through our "World Jazz Jamboree" programme".

Ticketed events can be booked through The Bournemouth Jazz Festival websitehttp://www.bournemouthjazzfestival.co.ukor through the BH Live websitehttps://www.bhlivetickets.co.uk/Online/default.asp

For more information please contact Gerry Clarke, Festival Director: T/: 07710 611123 or E/:gerry@bournemouthjazzfestival.co.uk

More Press Information and hi res images from Jane Adkins, A Head for PR Ltd, T/: 01935 813114 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

ENDS

Feb 2016 (BJF 03)