Eliane Correa, Rosie Frater-Taylor and Geoff Eales to play 40th anniversary Brecon Jazz Festival

The much-loved Brecon Jazz Festival returns for its 40th anniversary over three weekends in and around the town in the heart of the Brecon Beacons. Things begin on Sunday 4 August with a series daytime and early evening, family-orientated free concerts including Bristol-based African-jazz band Baraka, swing group Jazz Passengers and jazz-funk outfit Jingu Bang.

The main programme starts on 9-11 August with two names from the UK scene: virtuoso pianist Geoff Eales performing in a special line-up of leading Welsh instrumentalists (10 Aug), plus high-energy Latin jazz keyboardist Eliane Correa and her UK Cuban Quintet play on the Sunday evening (11 Aug). There are also appearances by guitarist/singer Rosie Frater-Taylor; guitarist and Berklee professor Steven Kirby; New York-based vocalist Tatiana Eva Marie performing vocal takes on the music of Django Reinhardt; bassist Cameron Saint’s eight-piece Mingus Project and a closing Sunday night set from the flute/keys-led Fabulous Red Diesel Band.

There’s also a special concert (10 Aug) presenting jazz arrangements by the late Jen Wilson (author/researcher and founder of the archive Jazz Heritage Wales) of 12 poems by Dylan Thomas from a sextet featuring singer Margot Morgan, trumpeter Cris Haines and saxophonist Deborah Glenister.

Jazz and film are the themes for the last weekend (17-18 August) where the life and story of pianist Thelonious Monk and ‘the Baroness’ (aka. Baroness Panonnica Rothschild de Koenigswarter) is recounted in a film feature, partnered with music of Monk from pianist Geoff Eales and bassist Ashley John Long (17 Aug). The life and music of Django Reinhardt is also documented in the first UK showing of the film, Django, and evocative gypsy jazz sounds come from Hot Club-inspired band, Afternoon in Paris, who are led by clarinettist Susanna Warren (18 Aug).

For the full line up and tickets visit www.breconjazz.org