This year’s Swanage Jazz Festival is now confirmed to take place from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 July, one of the first UK summer jazz festivals to announce its line-up for this year. Perched on Dorset’s dramatic Jurassic coastline, the seaside town has been hosting a jazz festival for 21 years.

Its line-up for 2010 mixes a generous helping of traditional jazz fare (from New Orleans and Dixieland bands to vocal groups) with younger straightahead combos such as the Henry Armburg Jennings Quintet and edgier offerings including Back Door Too, the Dave Stapleton Quintet and the Kit Downes Trio.

British jazz’s hardest working octogenarian Stan Tracey will play both octet and trio sets, while the equally workaholic Gilad Atzmon appears with his quartet and will guest with Alan Barnes, Nicolas Meier and vocalist Sarah Gillespie.

Alongside the five main festival venues (three seafront marquees plus a bar and the Conservative Club) there are numerous free gigs in the town’s pubs and in the open air, as well as a brass band parade on Saturday morning and a gospel church service on Sunday. Weekend stroller tickets are on sale until the end of May, with day tickets available after that.

– Edward Randell

For full details and booking forms: 01929 422215 or www.swanagejazz.org.uk