BRILLIANT young Wiltshire jazz singer and pianist Jamie Cullum should be among the headline acts at the 2004 jazz festival in Marlborough.

Festival organiser Nick Fogg said yesterday he hoped it would be a case of third time lucky and that nothing would get in the way of Cullum's long overdue appearance in Marlborough.

Cullum had to pull out of the 2002 Marlborough International Jazz festival because it clashed with a Russian tour. He also had to pull out of his scheduled appearance at the opening of this year's festival on Friday because of recording committments.

Reader Janet Mellor from Ramsbury wrote to the Gazette saying she wondered why Cullum was unable to appear at Marlborough when he did appear at Swanage in Dorset on Sunday at a concert enjoyed by her parents.

Cullum was not available for comment this week. But last week he told the Gazette that he had to remain in the recording studio to complete his new album by Saturday. That would have freed him for the Sunday concert.

Mr Fogg said: "Jamie was as disappointed as we were that he could not come to Marlborough on Friday but he has promised that he will honour his commitment to come here."