JAZZ On The Corner has proved a popular Tuesday night out for both Swindon fans and artists this year, and a host of well known names have signed up for 2018.

Jazz On The Corner is hosted in the Royal Oak, on the corner of Devizes Road in Old Town, every Tuesday from 8pm, and the first gig of the New Year is The Kim Cypher Quintet playing west coast jazz funk.

Princess Jackson from Jazz Knights, the one stop shop for all things jazz in Swindon, said: “The quintet is one of the most popular jazz groups on the scene, featuring vocalist, saxophonist and glamour puss Kim Cypher.’’

Kim and her band will be performing on January 9 and the following week there will be some gipsy jazz from Swing From Paris, aka Andy Bowen and AC Woods on guitars, Fenner Curtis on violin and Wiltshire’s own Steve Laming on double bass.

A tribute to jazz legend Oscar Peterson will be performed by award-winning pianist Craig Milverton, who is joined by Nick Millward on drums, and Ashley John-Long on bass, on January 23.

Coming over the pond to round off the month on January 30 will be American-born alto sax player Allison Neale.

Highlights for February are the Chris Jones Quartet. Chris is known for his funk and neo soul but in this quartet he is joined by Greg Sterland on sax, Toby Boalch on piano and Matt Brown on drums for some Bebop jazz performing on February 6.

Valentine’s special on February 13 will be the Soul Strutters, a Bristol Quartet playing classics from Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Gil Scot Heron and many more.

A pianist from Australia takes to the stage, in the form of Adam Biggs, who is now head of Jazz Studies at Bath University on March 13 and he will be playing classics.

March winds will also blow in a tribute from The Clarke-Hill Quartet to trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, on March 20. Bass player Tom Clark-Hill, who was the voice of Tony The Tiger, will be joined by trumpeter Bryan Corbett, Nick Millward on drums and Lee Jones on guitar.

April gems include Swindon’s own Ian Bateman, who played with jazz heavyweights Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and Terry Lightfoot.

Princess Jackson said: “Due to Jake’s hugely successful band, Get the Blessing, (that also features Portishead and Radiohead drummer, Clive Deamer) being all over the world, it has taken us some time to have him back!’’

- Flicky Harrison