LOUIS Armstrong’s Wonderful World is recreated this weekend by Swindon’s own jazz stars, brothers Ian and Alan Bateman.

A fundraising concert in aid of Swindon Jazz and Soul Festival, featuring the Bateman brothers, is at Christ Church, Old Town, Swindon, on Saturday from 7pm.

The Bateman Brothers Jazz Band pay tribute to Satchmo, in an award-winning show that they have performed all over the world.

The concert will feature some of the jazz classics made famous by American trumpeter, singer and composer, whose back catalogue includes such numbers as What A Wonderful World, Hello Dolly, Mack The Knife and Louis Blues.

The Bateman brothers strictly perform Louis’ greatest hits as per the original arrangements in the original style with Alan hitting those hot notes as Louis, and Ian being Trummy or Jack Teagarden. They also play songs from the movie High Society, which featured Louis Armstrong, alongside Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

The Swindon musicians have played for Acker Bilk in Berlin in July 2010 and Ian played trombone for Kenny Ball for many years. Last year Ian started a tribute to Kenny, with Alan as lead vocalist, with the blessing of Kenny’s son Keith Ball.

Joining Alan and Ian in the Bateman Brothers Jazz Band Allstars are: Trevor Whiting on clarinet (ex Chris Barber) Craig Milverton on piano, voted number one top jazz pianist in the British Jazz Awards 2010, John Day on bass (ex Acker Bilk) and Nick Millward on drums. Special guest for the evening will be singer Aydenne Simone, who has performed before the Queen. Aydenne will open the tribute to Louis Armstrong by singing songs that he shared with Ella Fitzgerald and Velma Middleton.

The proposed date for Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival is April 9, 2019.

Tickets to the Swindon concert are £12 and available from http://www.christchurchswindon.co.uk/…/reserve-a-ticket.php… - Flicky Harrison