Zoe Rahman, Emma Rawicz and Gary Crosby line up for 40th anniversary Brecon Jazz Festival

Taking place over three weekends, Brecon Jazz Festival gets underway on 6 August with Jazz in the Marquee – Family Jazz & Dance Day, with performances from Rachel Hayward’s Swing Quartet, Fiesta Resistance and the 10-piece Funkyard led by young saxophonist Maddie Penfold, all at the Showground Marquee. This is followed by the main festival weekend that runs from 11 to 13 August with a wide spectrum of jazz sounds at the town’s central venue, Theatr Brycheiniog, as well as Brecon Cathedral, St Mary’s Church, Castle Hotel, and Brecon Guildhall with some gigs livestreamed via the festival’s digital partner, Vialma.

Programme highlights include the All Stars of Brecon Jazz featuring vocalist Laura Collin, tenorist Jo Fooks and trumpeter Chris Hodgkins, while rising saxophonist Emma Rawicz appears with a top-notch trio of bassist Gary Brunton, pianist Gareth Williams and drummer Liz Exell (both gigs at Guildhall, 12 Aug). Bass ace Gary Crosby and his Trio collaborate with much-admired jazz tap dancer Annette Walker for a special performance (St Mary’s, 12 Aug), and the Castle Hotel presents the guitar-led Edison Herbert Quartet featuring Terence Collie (keys), Neville Malcolm (bass guitar) and Cheryl Alleyne (drums) plus leading US singer LaVon Hardison with the Glen Manby Quartet (both on 11 Aug). Hardison also appears with the Festival Big Band conducted by Gareth Roberts at Theatr Brycheiniog (13 Aug). New names to look out for include pianist Eddie Gripper who appears with his Trio of bassist Ursula Harrison and drummer Patrick Barrett Donlon (The Muse, 13 Aug), while trombonist Antigone ‘Tiggy’ Blackwell performs with the New Orleans Jazz Quintet (St Mary’s, 11 Aug).

The final weekend of 19-20 August includes a mix of jazz film screenings (TBA) and performances from groups such as Hot Club Gallois and Baires Connection Tango Trio featuring pianist Julieta Iglesias. The anniversary event closes in emphatic style with top UK pianist (and this month’s cover star) Zoe Rahman and her Octet, which includes flautist Rowland Sutherland, trumpeter Alex Ridout, alto saxophonist Helena Kay, tenorist Tori Freestone, trombonist Rosie Turton, bassist Alec Dankworth and drummer Gene Calderazzo, all playing music from Rahman’s new album Colour Of Sound (Theatr Brycheiniog, 20 Aug).

For full details visit breconjazz.org