Nubya Garcia, Nitin Sawhney and Emma-Jean Thackray for July Cheltenham Jazz Fest dates

Cheltenham Jazz Festival makes its full live return with a special summer edition running from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 July, following on from its livestreamed edition in early May. The programme features appearances by multi-award-winning saxophonist Nubya Garcia, rising star jazz and soul singer Poppy Ajudha, and highly acclaimed British-Asian instrumentalist and producer Nitin Sawhney, as well as exciting bandleader/trumpeter Emma-Jean Thackeray and spiritual jazz trumpeter and Gondwana Records label boss Matthew Halsall. Closing the weekend’s festivities are Penguin Café, the celebrated modern-day incarnation of Penguin Café Orchestra, who will showcase their eclectic blend of folk, jazz, pop and chamber music influences.

The festival’s popular Free Stage also returns to neighbouring Imperial Gardens (situated behind the Town Hall) hosting a wide range of jazz, folk, classical, pop and latin bands from around the country. These include the Americana sounds of Jaywalkers, dynamic young cellist Leo Popplewell who is joined by flautist Meera Maharaj for a specially created classical music set; soul-inspired crooner Quiet Man; powerhouse eight-piece pop-funk band LATIMO, an interactive family percussion workshop from GMizz, all-female ensemble Birmingham Town Hall and Symphony Hall’s Rise Up, Cheltenham based rising stars Yeti’s Breakfast, Maisie Gaffney and Russ Poole, eclectic folk outfit Chris Roberts Band, Bermudian-British songwriter, guitarist and singer Anna Colette and Tomorrow’s Warriors rising star Sultan Stevenson. Bringing the festival atmosphere to the streets of Cheltenham, three bands: Unswung Heroes, 3D Brass and Year Of The Dog will perform roaming sets courtesy of Cheltenham BID. Jazzwise are festival media partners.

Set times for Saturday 10 July are: Nubya Garcia (12noon); Poppy Ajudha (4pm) and Nitin Sawhney (8pm) and Sunday 11 July: Emma-Jean Thackray (12noon); Matthew Halsall (4pm) and Penguin Café (8pm).

For full freestage listings and main stage tickets visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com