The very best in live music performances at the Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival are taking place from Friday to Monday August 23 to 26.
On Friday as part of a varied menu of musical events The Ship Inn hosts an evening of blues with Martin McNeill Bottle Neck Blues prior to the main three days of the weekend festival activities.
Two late-night jazz sessions are taking place at the award winning restaurant the Devil in Rye with acclaimed local jazz singer and pianist Liane Carroll on Saturday, and on Sunday jazz cabaret king, Earl Okin. These start at 10:30pm until the early hours, another first for the festival this year.
Free music takes place on the dedicated outdoor stage at the Kino Cinema over the three days of the festival from 12.00 midday until 8pm with four acts per day. The line up includes Soweto Kinch (pictured) Theon Cross, Mad Yella, Beat Replacement, The Drawtones, Mark Harrison, The Violet Jive and many more.
New this year are the free music workshops at the Rye Community Centre on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, August 26. These are fantastic workshops that will inspire, educate and provide so much enjoyment and fun for all attending.
The Music Well are the festival’s charity partners and on Saturday will be running two workshops with an introduction to music therapy and a singing workshop run by two of the charity’s registered music therapists, Yair and Marian.
A workshop on improvisation is being run by award – winning saxophonist, spoken word artist and composer Soweto Kinch (pictured above) on Sunday, also at the Community Centre and on Monday the Kansas Smitty’s House Band present the last of the workshops which will include the wide variety of music styles that have inspired the band along with time keeping and rhythm section playing with an emphasis on the grooves the band perform.
Two unmissable live music events take place at the Gallivant Hotel in Camber on Monday, August 26 when the legendary Bass player Herbie Flowers (left) entertains at his famous jazz breakfast from 11am to 1pm.
Herbie will be performing with his band, not just music but also stories and anecdotes from his amazing lifelong career in the music business. What could be better than a hearty breakfast, great jazz and the chance to relax with friends?
Later that day, at 3pm, the Gallivant hosts an exhilarating afternoon of Cuban music with one of the best bands in the UK, Son Yambu (right).
You can have a meal at the hotel, order a cocktail and dance the afternoon away to hottest Cuban rhythms.
Another new addition to the festival this year are the ‘famous five’ brightly painted street pianos located within the town and participants of all ages and abilities are invited to play and entertain the passers-by.
Free street-music performances feature at a variety of locations over the weekend including an electric performance by edgy and contemporary DAT Brass band on Sunday, August 25. Adding theatre to the streets of Rye once again this year and back by popular demand is the Harvey’s of Lewes dray with heavy horses which will tour the town on Monday, starting at the Buttermarket.
In addition there are of course the main headline concerts at St Mary’s Church during the afternoon and evening. With all that’s going on there just isn’t the space to tell you more so please take five minutes and log on to the Rye Jazz Festival website to book online and find out more detailed information about the whole festival programme.
Image Credits: Rye Jazz festival , Rye Jazz Festival , On Stage .