Cheltenham Festivals

Cheltenham Jazz Festival 28 April – 3 May 2010

About the Jazz Festival

One of Europe’s leading jazz festivals… famous names, rising stars, club nights, jazz standards, big bands, soloists, funk, blues, fusion, latin, soul, family events, school concerts… save the date, 28 April–3 May 2010.

“Jazz you can dance to; jazz you can expand your mind to; jazz you can party to.”

Jamie Cullum

For a taste of the festival view our 2009 brochure.

Jazz Festival preview — Festival Directors’ Picks

The full Jazz Festival programme may not go on sale until February, but there’s already the chance to hear a very special sneak preview of what’s to come.

Artistic Director Tony Dudley Evans reveals the events he’s most looking forward to, and showcases some of the sounds and delights coming to the Cheltenham Jazz Festival in his preview video edition of Director’s Picks.

Be the first to book for Cheltenham Jazz Festival and save £££s with our Membership Scheme, plus your chance to win dinner for two.

Check out Science and Music too

Like this? See what the directors of the Science and Music Festivals have planned. Browse the full print edition of Directors’ Picks.

Exciting news for Jazz 2010!

We’re busy putting together our fantastic programme for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2010! Here are some of the highlights so far:

Jamie Cullum our Guest Director in 2010 — and headlining at his favourite festival!
John Scofield guitar legend — a masterful musician and guitar icon at the top of his game
Carla Bley distinguished contemporary jazz composer — and her Lost Chords Quartet — joined by trumpeter Paolo Fresu
Eric Bibb the charismatic blues singer-guitarist — making his festival debut in 2010
Fantastic Pillar Room programme featuring two of the UK’s finest live bands: Trio VD and Empirical

Jazz on the Square — all new for 2010! — with a purpose-built jazz arena, free music on the new and improved Budvar stage, food and drink stalls and a jazz market.

Watch this space for further news!

Read our 2009 Jazz Festival reviews

Hugh Masekela — The Telegraph
“his songs are just bare templates for punning, dancing improvisations of amazing energy. He sang with a wild abandon; he sent trumpet lines plunging and soaring; he cajoled the audience…”

The Guardian – Cheltenham Jazz Festival
“There are jazz festivals at which the same swing beat and horn-chorus sounds start to merge…Cheltenham’s bold programme does the opposite so effectively’

Alyn Shipton reviews the Jazz Festival
“their rousing encore had the audience on its feet to jazz that was at its best for being completely spontaneous…”

Dave Douglas — The Telegraph
“The rhythmic flexibility was part of the sly playing with genre, of which Douglas is such a master.”

Nigel Kennedy — The Times Online
“The touch of genius that makes his classical playing so compelling shone through here…”

LondonJazz blog — Cheltenham round-up
“a haunt of choice for me for a few years. And each time I go I enjoy it more… because Cheltenham is a pleasant town, and whole town at jazz festival time has an addictively friendly vibe…”

Birmingham Post — Cheltenham Jazz Festival
“there is, if one is lucky, a moment in a jazz gig when the gears shift up a notch and the good becomes the great. The gear change here seemed to come in the first few seconds…”

Reviews from the Gloucestershire Echo

“everybody got out of their seats and it was the perfect climax to a truly uplifting evening. If the rest of the Jazz Festival is half as much fun as the opening concert, it’s sure to be a huge success…”