Cheltenham Jazz Festival is underway

Tonight's shows are the BBC Big Band plus guest South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim on the main stage of the Town Hall at 8pm, then alto saxophonist Soweto Kinch at the Park Bar of the University of Gloucestershire at 9pm and back at the Town Hall for a late night set with Lizzy Parks on the Pillar Room Stage at 10.30pm.

Tomorrow, the running order, at various venues, is Jazz It Up, BBC Radio 2's Friday Night Is Music Night, Julian Siegel Trio,  Dave Stapleton, the Puppini Sisters, JTQ Funk Orchestra and a late night broadcast by BBC Radio 3's Jazz on 3.

On Saturday there's a full day of jazz from just before midday with Brian Denington and David Horton, Fraud, the Larry Bartley Octet, a jazz summit on the future of jazz, a broadcast by BBC Radio 3's Jazz Line Up, Polar Bear, a chill out session with saxophonist David Binney, the Staxs and Sam Brown, David Binney Quartet, Herbaliser/DJ Format, Guinga and a late night jazz club.

Sunday sees a breakfast show with trombonist Dennis Rollins, a piano masterclass with Huw Warren, Jonny Phillips' Oriole, British Heavyweights, Abram Wilson, Julia Biel, Lee Konitz Trio, Vijay Iyer Quartet, Gwilym Simcock, Claire Martin and the Laurence Cottle big band, the Eri Yamamoto Trio, World Saxophone Quartet, Leftfoot with Norman Jay and Sugar Beats, Townhouse Orchestra with Evan Parker, Paul Towndrow and a late night jazz club.

The final day of the festival on bank holiday Monday has a saxophone masterclass with Lee Konitz, Kidsamonium, a jazz summit on following a career in jazz, a vocal masterclass with Claire Martin, drum masterclass with Paal Nilssen-Love, a jazz summit on the 10 greatest jazz albums, the Huw Warren Quartet, a chill out session with Dianne Reeves, Cleveland Watkiss and Tunde Jegede and then reaching a climax, US singer Dianne Reeves on the stage of the Town Hall. For more info go to www.cheltenhamfestivals.com or phone 01242 227979.