Jazz festival to mark 30th anniversary

Tickets for the annual jazz festival at Leasowes Bank are due to go on sale shortly, and this year's event promises a sparkling line up of musical talent.

Music at Leasowes Bank takes place every year in Ratlinghope, between the picturesque Stiperstones nad the Long Mynd.

This year's show begins with a Jazz Supper on Saturday, July 3rd where there'll be storming music from the popular Shropshire Youth Jazz Ensemble, for which tickets are priced £7 adults and £4 for under 18s.

On Friday, July 9th, there will be a concert for Ratlinghope Church entitled Words and Music for a Summer Evening, with Richard Duncan on recorders and Bryan Holland on harpsichord, accompanied by Richard Beamond and Val Littlehales. Tickets for this event are priced £5 and include a glass of wine.

Horses Brawl, aka Laura Cannell and Adrian Lever, will take the stage on Saturday, July 17th for a spellbinding evening of folk rhythms and traditional influences from the musical cultures of ancient Europe and beyond.

The duo, who play the fiddle, recorder, double-barrelled recorder, crumhorns and bowed guitar, have been described as a 'breath of fresh air' by The Times. Tickets for Horses Brawl are priced £9 and £6 for under 18s.

The music continues on Wednesday, July 21st, when there will be a Festival Commission Concert featuring Gemini, aka Ian Mitchell on clarinets, Robin Michael on cello and Huw Watkins on piano, who will be performing Charles Dakin's opera Epona. Tickets for this event are priced £10 and £6 for under 18s.

On Saturday, 24th July, the Esther Miller Quintet will take up residence, featuring Esther Miller on vocals, Steve Waterman on trumpet, Zoltan Dekany on double bass, Steve Melling on piano and John Perry on drums.

The quintet are described as an outstanding talent, and jazz legend Humphrey Lyttleton has described vocalist Esther as having 'voice, style and presence - she's got it all!' Tickets are £11 and £7 for under 18s.

Saturday, July 31st sees the festival's grand finale to mark the thirtieth birthday of Music at Leasowes Bank.

To celebrate this anniversary, the festival's founder, John Williams, will perform with his band Tenorama with music from their award-winning CD.

This exciting event will also feature an interval supper and early booking is advised. Tickets are priced £17 and include supper.

Booking for all the festival's events opens on April 1st, 2010. For more information or to get your tickets, call (01743) 790769 or contact Windband in Shrewsbury on (01743) 367482.