An inaugural jazz and soul festival is set to launch this spring with an extremely strong line-up of UK’s most talented jazz artists.

Jazz Knights recently announced the event, featuring jazz artists such as the multi-award-winning saxophonist Simon Richard Spillett.

The Festival has received support from numerous sponsors, allowing Jazz knights to set up the first ever Jazz and Soul Festival in Swindon.

The whole event will be centralised at Christ Church and Community Centre in Swindon’s Old Town on April 6, with the capacity to welcome more than 500 people.

Evie Em Jay, who is organising the festival said: “Together with the late David Knight, I have been organising jazz events in Swindon for over 10 years and wanted to step up to bring a jazz and soul festival to Swindon.

“I am very passionate about live music as it’s a feeling that you cannot get from listening to a recording. I was so sad to see that so many jazz festivals are folding, including some in the Wiltshire area.

“I hope that the event is successful as I know that the local community in Swindon and beyond are passionate about live music.”

The two rooms will offer a variety of live music with jazz players performing in Christ Church and soul music being played in community centre.

“Both soul and jazz are such organic genres and are best seen live as every performance is different,” said Evie.

“I feel it will be such a treat to see so many acts in one day, across two rooms, and hopefully there will be something for everyone, from swing, bebop, neo soul, Dixieland, R ‘n’ B and funk.

While the headline act in Christ Church is Denny Ilett’s All stars play Sinatra, a band dedicated to Frank Sinatra’s work, in the soul room the headliners are Ezra Old Souls, a group with a genuine love of soul, R ‘n’ B and hip hop.

Among all performances, three UK Guitar Masters including Nigel Price, winner of the parliamentary Jazz Award and British Jazz Award will celebrate Wes Montgomery, an American jazz guitarist who died 50 years ago.

As well as featuring award-winning artists from all over the UK, local talent will also take the stage. Len Morphew, presenter of Jazz Break on Swindon 105.5 will be playing uptempo classics along with Martin Lowe, Martin Helps, Andy Maguire and John Griffin.

The festival starts from noon and will last for over 10 hours. Tickets are available online from Christ Church and community website and cost £10 each – under 16s have free entry.

For Further information, visit Jazz Knights’ website.