Femi Kuti and his group the Positive Force bring their highly energetic blend of jazz, funk and Afro-beat to Brass: the Durham International Festival next month, sharing the bill with the Chicago-based nine-piece horn group the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble on 13 July. Both bands have worked with some of the biggest names in hip hop and neo-soul, collaborating with artists such as Mos Def, Common, Maxwell and Erykah Badu.

The two-week brass festival taking place in and around the city of Durham from 4-19 July, breaks away from the oompah stereotype by showcasing a wide range of internationally acclaimed brass artists and ensembles, performing in varying styles from ska to hip hop, contemporary jazz to salsa.

Well worth checking out is experimental multi-instrumentalist from Finland, Jimi Tenor, who made his mark on the UK in the 1990s with his own brand of techno jazz for the pioneering electro label Warp. Another standout concert features saxophonist, composer and conductor Issie Barratt, who performs with the Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra at the Bishop Auckland Town Hall. The headline performances will take place at the Gala Theatre in Durham and the Sage in Gateshead. Other concerts are booked for smaller venues around county Durham and there will be free gigs taking place on the streets of the city of Durham itself.

– David Tshulak

For more go to www.brassfestival.co.uk, or phone 0191 332 4041 for tickets