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The 2018 Cheltenham Jazz Festival is taking place across six days from 2nd to 7th May 2018!

The festival is hosted in a tented festival village in Cheltenham’s Montpellier Gardens, featuring a Big Top stage, the Jazz Arena, a Family Tent featuring workshops, performances and sing-alongs and a food and drink area surrounding the Free Stage.

Opening the Festival with the only UK date on her Spring tour is American singer Randy Crawford, best known for her hits “One Day I’ll Fly Away”, “Street Life” and “You Might Need Somebody” Rarely seen in the UK, Randy Crawford makes her first visit to Cheltenham on Wednesday 2nd May in the Big Top.

Beth Hart’s career has rocketed to dizzying heights in recent years. She makes a welcome return to the Jazz Festival in the Big Top on Saturday 5th May with her new jazz-infused album "Fire on the Floor".

Cheltenham will see the first ever UK visit for the Christian McBride Big Band on Sunday 6th May and young saxophonist and bandleader Kamasi Washington plays the Big Top on Sunday 6th May.

Stars from all corners of the globe will once again descend on Cheltenham for the return of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Boasting a unique programme packed with UK debuts, one-off performances and exclusively curated concerts, this year's festival is set to deliver its trademark, broad-appealing mix of the best classic and contemporary jazz, soul, blues, and pop on offer from an array of international powerhouse acts, and the brightest emerging talent.

Headline names include Van Morrison, Imelda May, Kamasi Washington, Courtney Pine and Omar, Corinne Bailey Rae, Rick Astley with Ronnie Scott’s Big Band, Caro Emerald, Gilles Peterson, Jordan Rakei, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Andy Sheppard, Randy Crawford, Eric Gales, Jay Rayner and many more. Artistic Curator Jamie Cullum has once again selected some of his stand-out acts for the festival, with Mercury-nominated prog jazzers Dinosaur, cinematic nu-jazz outfit Portico Quartet, and the first ever UK performance from Christian McBride’s Big Band.

As well as providing a platform for a new generation of artists, the festival offers a range of inspirational opportunities for young people from jazz to preschoolers to one-on-one career advice from industry professionals, which will be available for the first time this year by appointment.

Free Jazz gigs taking over the streets, pubs and clubs of Cheltenham

For five jazz-filled days from 3 May, up and coming local acts and national artists come together on our free stages in Cambray Place, the Brewery Quarter and at the Festival Village for some musical inspiration between Cheltenham Jazz Festival gigs. Listen to pop-up street performances during the day, discover new jazz favourites in the evening or dance into the night!

We've worked with Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID) to make sure that the town's businesses, shops, bars and hotels, are part of the fun. 

View the venue map and full programme online by clicking here.

 

Tickets go on sale to members from 28 February and on general sale from 7 March.

http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz