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The Wigan International Jazz Festival, centre piece of Wigan’s summer
event calendar, will swing into action this weekend.
Wigan may be famous for rugby league and football but for 22 years one
of the biggest jazz festivals in Europe has been helping to ensure that
Wigan is top of the league when it comes to music, as well as sport.
From its humble beginnings in 1985 the festival has grown to become one
of the most highly renowned in the UK, playing host to extraordinary
talents such as Manhattan Transfer, Frank Sinatra Jnr, Benny Golson, The
Woody Herman Orchestra and Dave Brubeck.
This year’s Festival promises to be the biggest ever with over 50
different events packed into ‘ten days of cool’ from Friday 13th to
Sunday 22nd July. Traditionally the highlight of the Festival is the
series of celebrity concerts that take place in the salubrious
surroundings of the JJB Stadium’s Tetley Lounge. Headline acts include
jazz-funk legends Shakatak, the genius of John La Barbera, and Europe’s
most innovative big bands the Thilo Wolf Big Band.
A sensational weekend of swing jazz featuring, the Jay Craig Orchestra,
the Elmhurst College Big Band with guest vocalist Lee Gibson, Blue
Harlem and the SHAPE Jazz Orchestra kicks off the Festival. The Festival
closes with an outdoor performance in Mesnes Park, Wigan on Sunday 22nd,
with street performances, seminars, dinner jazz, free chilled out jazz
and lunch time performances all jammed in between.
Festival Director Ian Darrington said: “This year’s festival is a real
melting pot of jazz influences. We have more acts than ever appearing
this year and we have deliberately planned events that will open jazz up
to new audiences.
“We have real jazz stalwarts such as Alan Barnes and John La Barbera
complemented by emerging talents such as Dennis Rollins and the
increasingly popular Martin Taylor’s Freternity.”
The Festival stretches the length and breadth of Wigan Borough with
venues including the JJB Stadium, Lowton Civic Hall, the Monaco
Ballroom, Wigan Cricket Club, Market Place (Wigan), The Boulevard,
Chicago Rock Café and Mesnes Park.
Ian continued: “We have a very loyal core audience but to introduce new
people to the festival we are putting on lots of free events in the town
centre and we are even planning a free event in Mesnes Park on the final
Sunday. We want people to come to Wigan and enjoy a great party and take
away some great memories of the outstanding performers appearing this
year.”
Tickets for the Wigan International Jazz Festival are on sale now.
Tickets and festival brochures are available on request from Wigan’s
Tourist Information Centre, opposite the train station, Wallgate, Wigan,
or call 01942 825677. For regular updates visit the official festival
website:
www.wiganjazz.net
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this press release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Media and Public Relations Manager, on 01942
486937 or at c.dunbar@wlct.org. Alternatively contact Phil Green, Public
Relations Officer for Wigan Council on 01942 827369.
The Wigan International Jazz Festival is organised by Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust, Wigan Council and Wigan Jazz Club. The festival is now in
its 22nd year. For further information contact Festival Director Ian
Darrington on 07785 982524 or at
ian.darrington@blueyonder.co.uk
Sponsors: The Wigan International Jazz Festival’s principle sponsor is
Manchester Airport. Other sponsors and supporters of the festival are:
Stewart Milne Holmes; Arts and Business North West; John Smith’s Ltd;
Grand Arcade Shopping Centre; Arts Council England; AGMA; JJB Stadium;
and Leisuretec.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to help people across the Wigan Borough to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
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