ACKER BILK AT THE 2002 SWINDON JAZZ FESTIVALUNTIL a week ago, it looked as if the highly successful Swindon Jazz Festival was no more. Swindon Council wound up Swindon Arts back in January and the popular festival, which brings thousands of people to the town, was scrapped along with it.

At the time, the council said the festival would cost £140,000 to stage.

But last week it was announced that the town's jazz society was stepping into the breach and the show would go on for just £6,000.

The event will run from June 22 to July 4 alongside the Old Town Festival. Already a host of top names in the fields of everything from trad jazz to funk and fusion are lined up to perform.

The jazz society has acted in an advisory capacity on the past three festivals.

Dave Knight, chairman of the Swindon Jazz Society, said the Old Town Festival Committee asked his members to organise a couple of jazz gigs for their event.

"We then thought why don't we take on the jazz festival and run it in association with the Old Town Festival and do it for less than the £140,000 the council had estimated,'' said Dave.

The society has been working hard to drum up funds and has gained sponsorship from Nationwide, which has backed the jazz festival for the past few years.

"We are delighted to have Nationwide on board," said Dave. "It has been hard work but enjoyable organising the festival in so little time. But we have built up good relations with British jazz musicians though festivals and visits by the society,'' said Dave. "We felt we were capable of taking it on.''

The event was first started in 2000 by Ray Butt from Fretless and Friends. Ray is now a presenter on Swindon FM digital radio and will be supporting this year's festival by featuring some of the artists on his jazz programme. Dave said: "It will be an all British festival this time and we will have jazz on most days, ending with Stan Tracey in a grand finale at the Phoenix Theatre in New College.''

Two years ago Stan received the lifetime achievement award at the BBC Radio Jazz Awards crowning a career spread over five decades. He is commonly referred to as The Godfather of Jazz.

Stan scooped his first gig at the age of 16, quickly joining the London jazz scene of the 1950s. In the 1960s he was resident pianist at Ronnie Scott's Club and played with many of the top names in jazz.

Stan will be playing alongside Alec Dankworth, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth's son.

Alec has worked with such artists as Stephan Grappelli, Van Morrison and The Dave Brubeck Quartet. He has toured with his parents' quintet all over the USA, Australia and Europe and he has made various recordings with Nigel Kennedy.

The bass player currently has his own trio who last year released their first CD, If You're Passing By. He will be playing in Swindon on Sunday July 4 from 8pm at the Phoenix Theatre.

Kicking off the jazz festival on Tuesday, June 22, from 8.30pm will be the Lee Gibson Quartet singing at Fusion in the High Street.

One of Europe's best known alto sax players, Peter King, will be bringing his quartet to the festival alongside guitarists Max Brittain and John Coverdale, Nuages the Django Reinhardt-style gipsy jazz duo, the Foster Hammond Trio playing jazz funk, and Wiltshire's own little Big Band The Jazz Jiants.

Dick Pearce, the trumpet player formerly with Ronnie Scott's Quintet is playing with the Bill Taylor Trio and there will be a Latin feel from Robin Jones' Latin Jazz Sextet and ska from the Heavy Quartet.

Trad jazz will be well represented by the Pete Long All Stars and one of the UK's top pianists, Colin Kingwell with his Jazz Bandits playing Orleans style.

The six piece that make up Colin Kingwell's Jazz Bandits have been going since 1956 and are popular both in the UK and Denmark, Holland, Sweden, France, Switzerland. Last year they played the San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival.

Colin is also responsible for introducing Dave Knight to jazz. Dave said: "I was 13 years old and listening to the BBC Light Programme Harry Parry's Jazz Club on Saturdays. A friend, Ken Kingwell, told me that his brother played jazz in the Steve Lane's Southern Stompers band.

"His brother was Colin Kingwell and from that point he sent me his Downbeat Magazines.

"But he cut out all the traditional jazz stuff so all I had to read about was modern jazz and bebop, so that's now my kind of jazz,'' said Dave. Dave hasn't seen Colin in years but couldn't resist asking him to play at the Swindon festival, so the Bandits will be playing at the Kings, on Wednesday, June 23, at 8.30pm.

Swindon Jazz Society was started in 1962 as a charitable organisation under the umbrella of the Swindon Public Libraries. Members now meet at The Kings in Wood Street where they hold recital evenings on the second Tuesday of each month.

Programme of events

Tuesday June 22: Lee Gibson Quartet, Fusion, High Street, 8.30pm to 11pm, £7.

Wednesday June 23: Colin Kingwell's Jazz Bandits (New Orleans Dance music) The Kings, Wood Street, 8.30pm to 11pm, £5.

Thursday June 24: Peter King Quartet (jazz alto saxophonist) The Kings, Wood Street 8.30pm to 11pm, £7.

Sunday June 27: Pete Long All Stars (local musicians playing in the traditional style) The Kings, Wood Street, 2pm to 4.30pm, free.

Monday June 28: Max Brittain and John Coverdale (guitarists playing 40s and 50s standards through to contemporary) Pizza Express, Bath Road, 8pm to 10.30pm, Free to diners.

Tuesday June 29: Percussion Workshop to be conducted by Chips Bailey (for people with learning difficulties) Open Door, Devizes Road, 1.30pm to 2.30pm, free.

Jim Hart Quartet (a new rising star in vibes) Fusion, High Street, 8.30pm to 11pm, £7.

Wednesday June 30: Forster Hammond Trio (organ trio playing jazz funk sounds) The Kings, Wood Street, 8.30pm to 11pm, free.

Thursday July 1: Robin Jones Latin Jazz Sextet, The Kings, Wood Street, 8.30pm to 11pm, £7.

Saturday July 3: Adamant Band (marching jazz band) Jazz Parade and The Lawns, 11.30am to 2pm, free.

Debbie Arthur's Sweet Rhythm (Traditional 1920s classic jazz), Picklejohns, Wood Street, noon to 2.30pm, free.

Nuages (Django Reinhardt style gipsy jazz, jazz swing and Latin tunes) Panache, Wood Street, 1.30pm to 4pm, free.

Jazzy Jiants (Wiltshire's Little big band) Fusion, High Street, 2pm to 4.30pm, free.

Dick Pearce with the Bill Taylor Trio (Dick Pearce, trumpet, former Ronnie Scott Quintet sideman), Fusion, High Street, 4.30pm to 6pm, free.

Sunday July 4: Heavy Quartet (10 piece band from Cardiff playing ska, fusion, mardi gras), Town Garden Bowl, 2.45pm to 4pm and 4.30pm to 5.30pm, free.

Stan Tracey Quartet featuring Bobby Wellins, Phoenix Theatre, New College, 8pm to 10.30pm, £8.

Rover ticket £20 for paying concerts, with the exception of Stan Tracey (a saving of £13). No other concessions. Call 01793 826856 or 791043 for tickets.