Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival will take place from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June at various locations within the town and tickets go on sale on Friday 11th March at 10.00am

Headline afternoon and evening ticketed concerts are taking place in the stunning and atmospheric setting of Sidmouth Parish church located within the centre of the town. Free live performances will also take place at Blackmore Gardens on a dedicated outdoor stage featuring fabulous local and regional music talent from across Devon and further afield.

Audiences can expect to hear the absolute best Jazz, Blues, Roots, RnB, Soul, Funk, and Latin music across the festival weekend. Free live music will also take place at various fringe venues across the town which will create a wonderful atmosphere.

Ian Bowden, the festival director said: "We are immensely proud to be presenting the very first Jazz and Blues Festival in Sidmouth, it is a wonderful town, and we are grateful for all the support that we have received throughout the community. Music inspires and provides so much joy and wellbeing and I have no doubt that the festival will provide a much-needed boost after what has been such a challenging time over the recent two more years."

Acclaimed artistes confirmed to perform at the church include multi-award-winning blues guitarist and singer, Ian Siegal on Thursday 2 June. MOJO Magazine ranks him as “the cleverest writer and most magnetic blues performer in the UK.” Ian has taken his music to over fifty countries and presided over a trophy haul that includes two UK Blues Awards, ten British Blues Awards, four European Blues Awards, two Mojo Blues Albums of The Year not to mention three US Blues Music Awards nominations.

Image: Ian Siegal

For Jazz lovers, the festival presents a wonderful and intimate evening concert with the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars direct from the world – famous London jazz club on Thursday 2 June. This fantastic headline evening concert will take you on a musical journey of amazing music, providing you with an insight into the heritage of the jazz club. The all - star band include the best jazz musicians of their generation and will be performing songs from the ‘The Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook’ featuring the great classic jazz standard from composers such as Gershwin, Cole Porter, Billy Strayhorn, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer and many more.

Friday 3rd June, Italian Multi-award winning, acoustic guitarist and composer, Antonio Forcione and his band take to the stage at the church for what will be an exceptional afternoon concert.

This is a truly international line-up. From Brazil, the charismatic master-percussionist Adriano Adewale; from Nigeria/Grenada/UK, the beautiful and talented cellist Jenny Adejayan, and the multi-instrumentalist Australian Nathan Thompson on double bass.

The Guardian quoted Antonio “One of the great acoustic guitarists” and the Times said of him
 “A thrilling journey round the world … passion, grace, and fire.”

Joe Stilgoe the Internationally acclaimed singer, pianist, and songwriter - a modern day all-round entertainer performs an evening concert at the church on Friday 3rd June. Joe has toured around the world with his band and as a solo act, appearing everywhere from Ronnie Scott’s to Birdland with every festival and jazz club in between. Joe is excited to bring his talents to Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival 2022, highlighting levels of musicianship that sees him at the top of his game, and the top of his field and quoted by The Sunday Times as "A very British Harry Connick Jr".

Saturday 4 June, the incredible Mica Paris, the UK Queen of Soul performs a special headline evening concert at the church with her incredible band. Mica Paris is one of the UK’s finest and most respected singers with an extensive career of hit singles and albums.

The range, power, and sheer soulfulness of Mica Paris’ singing made an immediate impact on the UK music scene in 1988 when she released her debut, double platinum-selling album, ‘So Good’ from which she had her first top ten hit, ‘My One Temptation’.

Mica continues to perform to sell out audiences and frequent collaborations with major UK and US stars underline her importance to the international soul scene. Mica has performed with Simply Red, Chaka Kahn, Angie Stone, Joss Stone, and Quincy Jones and others.


Image: Ronnie Scott's

For tickets and information go to www.sidmouthjazz.com