Ribble Valley Jazz Festival is a hit

The 5th Ribble Valley Jazz Festival lived up to its promise of being the biggest and best to date, as thousands of people descended on the Ribble Valley over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.
The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.  Photo: Pete Monk.The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.  Photo: Pete Monk.
The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival. Photo: Pete Monk.

It all began on Thursday night at the Grindleton Pavilion with a performance from the Camerate Ritmata ensemble and gathered pace throughout the weekend with 36 live performances and four workshops provided by some of the UK’s leading players, including Dennis Rollins and Snake Davis.

One of the highlights of the weekend was Saturday’s Street Festival on Clitheroe’s Castle Street, from 11am until 6pm with a diverse line-up of musicians ranging from the Clitheroe Ukulele Orchestra to Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Club’s own community band.

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Dry, occasionally sunny, weather helped attract an estimated audience of 2,000 to enjoy the music throughout the day.

The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.  Photo: Pete Monk.The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.  Photo: Pete Monk.
The 2014 Ribble Valley Jazz Festival. Photo: Pete Monk.

Headline venues The Grand and The Atrium enjoyed packed houses for the likes of the Snake Davis Band, Dub Jazz Sound System and Monday afternoon’s festival finalé featuring Tipitina and the One Voice Community Choir. Participating venues including The Rose and Crown, Swan and Royal Hotel, Maxwell’s, The Post House Hotel, The Emporium and The Spread Eagle Hotel at Sawley all reported brisk business as music fans visited the area from all over the North West and beyond.

Ribble Valley Jazz Festival chairwoman Sue Lightbown said: “Everything came together spectacularly well and we are very thankful for the support of the town and our audiences who came out in record numbers.”

For more about Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Club, including forthcoming gigs and how to get involved, visit: www.rvjazzandblues.co.uk