Category Archives: News

Alan Skidmore unfortunately withdrew from the Festival shortly after the programme went to press. He was upset to miss the Festival, but has been offered several very highly paid gigs in the Netherlands, which he could hardly refuse. We have booked the Steve Melling Trio, with special guest Nigel Hitchcock as a replacement”.

The Festival Committee has decided that the 24th Swanage Jazz festival will take place from 12-14 July 2013. This year’s Festival put our organisation under tremendous strain and cost a great deal in coping with the terrible weather and its effect on our venues. In spite of the  the difficulties and the fairly dismal weather [...]

There will be a public memorial service to celebrate Abram’s life in London on Wednesday 25th July. We will begin the afternoon with a New Orleans style funeral procession starting at 1:30pm near St John’s Church, Waterloo Road, SE1 8TY. The exact meeting point for the procession will be confirmed at a later date. The [...]

A special note to campers and those commuting by train: the last train out of Swanage each evening is 11.15pm for the duration of the Festival.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Abram Wilson died on June the 9th 2012, just a few weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. He played his last gig in Teignmouth on May 18.  He was an inspiring and very likeable man, one of the world’s best jazz trumpeters and a [...]

We have recently been able to book two new bands to play at Swanage bandstand on saturday: The MSG Trio play at 11am to 1pm Twynham School Band – UT Funk  play 2.30 to 3.30 The gigs are free for all.

We regret that MARIUS NESET has had to withdraw from the festival (Saturday, Marquee 3, 1.05-2.25pm). Marius had a prior commitment to a Festival in Norway for Sunday 15 July. He had won a major prize last year to produce an hour long piece of music for the Bergen Jazz Orchestra, with rehearsals and performance. [...]

Details for the 2012 Festival will be posted by January 23 or shortly after, and sent to our mailing list by February 1. Performance times have now been listed on Friday, Saturday and Sundays pages. Tickets will be available to purchase online from 1st February.

Our 2011 festival was a great success, we’ve had lots of letters and emails from fans and musicians saying how much they enjoyed the music and the atmosphere. As in 2010, we sold out of tickets on Saturday and Sunday, so we are financially secure for next year. One or two minor issue as always, but we’ll do our [...]

Please leave your comments and let us know who you would like to see next year.