Headline artists have been announced for the 2027 Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival, with wave three festival passes and tickets for Jools Holland on sale at 10am on Friday 23 October.
Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Beverley Knight, Level 42, The Robert Cray Band, Heather Small and Omar will headline the eagerly anticipated sixth edition of the 2027 festival.
The festival runs from Thursday 27 to Monday 31 May in the Regency coastal town of Sidmouth, East Devon and all six headliners will play the main festival stage at Blackmore Gardens.
Jools Holland returns after his 2026 headline show, and this time he opens the festival on Thursday 27 May with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. He is joined by soul and gospel singer Ruby Turner, a long-standing favourite with the orchestra, and by special guests including Pauline Black, frontwoman of 2 Tone ska band The Selecter.
On Friday 28 May Beverley Knight, the Queen of British Soul, brings her Born to Perform show to Sidmouth, a celebration of the songs and stories from her life on stage. She has won three MOBO awards and is known for hits including "Get Up!" and "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", as well as West End roles in The Bodyguard and The Drifters Girl.
Saturday 29 May belongs to Level 42. The band formed on the Isle of Wight in 1979 and became known for Mark King's slap bass and for hits including "Lessons in Love", "Something About You" and "Running in the Family". They have had eighteen top forty singles, sold more than thirty million albums and once sold-out Wembley Arena for 21 nights.
The Robert Cray Band headlines on Sunday 30 May. Cray has won five Grammys, is in the Blues Hall of Fame and has toured since 1974, playing with Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. His 1986 album Strong Persuader took his mix of blues, soul, and R&B to audiences around the world.
The festival closes on Monday 31 May with a fantastic double bill with Heather Small (the voice of M People) and her full band. Festival attendees can expect to hear the classic hits such as “Moving on Up", "Search for the Hero" and "One Night in Heaven", along with her solo anthem "Proud".
Omar, the ‘King of British Neo-Soul’ will be performing with his band and is best known for hits "There's Nothing Like This" and for "Feeling You", his duet with Stevie Wonder. Omar has recorded with Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, Common and Estelle and many others.
Festival Director Ian Bowden, "We're delighted to be bringing Jools Holland back after his show sold out last year, and this time he's opening the festival on Thursday night. The festival's programme is eclectic and contemporary and covers jazz, blues, roots, soul, gospel, funk, Latin and Cuban music, something for everyone.”
“Add Beverley Knight, Level 42, The Robert Cray Band, and a Monday double bill with Heather Small and Omar, and it's a line-up I can't wait to see in Blackmore Gardens”.
Chair of Sidmouth Town Council Hilary Nelson, “On behalf of Sidmouth Town Council, I would like to express how thrilled we are to see the festival go from strength to strength and all of the positive benefits that the festival brings to our beautiful town both economically and from a cultural perspective.”
Nine acts have already been announced for the contemporary day programme in Blackmore Gardens, with additional outstanding acts being announced over the coming weeks.
Daytime acts currently include Bette Smith, Ashley Henry, and Ray Gelato & The Giants, China Moses, Cubafrobeat, Ronnie Scott's Gospel Choir, James Taylor Quartet, The Big Smoke Family and Eddy Smith & The 507.
The Love Local stage at Peacock Lawn, next to Blackmore Gardens, will have a wonderful programme of established and emerging artists from across the region and from further afield. The free Love Education programme returns to Sidmouth Methodist Church from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 May with workshops, jam sessions and masterclasses open to all ages and abilities.
Plans also include music events at the Sidmouth Parish church and beyond the main stage, music will take place at various hotels and pubs within Sidmouth and free street music throughout the festival.
Individual day tickets and residents' day tickets go on sale in early 2027, subject to availability and VIP and corporate packages are available in the Sandridge Barton VIP experience.
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival