THOUSANDS of music fans flocked to Upton-upon-Severn for the 32nd Jazz Festival.
Four days of sunshine shone down on the crowds who were entertained in the Festival Village and other town venues by internationally-renowned jazz bands.
Highlights included headliners The Jive Aces, Moscow Drug Club and the Jonathan Vinten Trio, along with Leeds lads Louis Louis Louis and the Washboard Resonators.
Would-be dancers enjoyed a weekend of lessons in jazzjive and swing, a Mardi Gras-style parade – complete with dozens of decorated brollies – as well as a gospel-style church service in Upton’s parish church.
An exhibition charting three decades of jazz festivals ran in the Tudor House Museum and – new for this year – a performance space by the Pepperpot attracted local bands, including Upton stalwarts Perdido Street, to play to the festival crowds over the weekend.
Schools from around the county fielded their most talented young musicians for the Best of Young Jazz venue, which included a performance from nine-year-old superstar Lake Mathewson, who has come to the attention of Jamie Cullum.
The festival’s musical director Rachel Hayward labelled the event as a huge success.
“It was absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “The bands were incredible and the feedback we’ve had was superb.
“My highlights from the weekend were The Temperance Seven, still going strong after 50 years of making jazz, Bent Persson and Thomas Winteler from Sweden and The Revivalists from Holland.
“We had an amazing time.
“The Saturday was particularly popular – by lunchtime, we were running out of space to park cars.
“At one point there must have been 2,000 people on the main festival field alone, and the campsite was full to bursting.
“Our thanks have to go out to all the stewards and volunteers who work tirelessly all year to make sure the festival is such a success. We couldn’t do it without them.”
