WILTSHIRE'S own jazz giant, the singer and pianist Jamie Cullum, who was to star in the Marlborough International Jazz Festival, has had the plug pulled on him by his record producers.

The singer-pianist from Hullavington made national headlines earlier this year when he was given a million pound contract by Universal.

He was due to star at the festival's opening ceremony tomorrow afternoon which is being attended by Dr Kim Howells, a former arts minister.

Speaking exclusively to the Gazette he said: "I can assure you that no-one is more disappointed than I was when I found out the Marlborough concert had been cancelled.

"But we are going to make it up to the town with a concert coming up soon. We do not know where or when yet but I will make it up to Marlborough as soon as it's possible."

He has been working 18 hours a day this week in Universal's Primrose Hill studios in London recording tracks for his new CD.

The star said his Marlborough booking was cancelled without him knowing. "As soon as I heard it had been cancelled, I thought of all those disappointed people," he said.

He said he had been particularly looking forward to playing in Marlborough because the jazz event is now a world-class festival and because he wanted to play in his home county.

Last year, while still a relative unknown, he pulled out because the event clashed with a Russian tour, and this year had agreed to appear for the same fee of a few hundred pounds.

Festival organiser Nick Fogg said there was enormous disappointment that the star would not be taking part.

He said Jamie had been told by Universal that he had to cancel all bookings and concentrate on producing a new album.

Although he told his record company that he was honouring a personal pledge, it cut no ice, said Mr Fogg.

Universal bosses refused to back down even when Mr Fogg made a personal plea to them.

He said: "I could not persuade them to change their minds but Universal has said it will consider being a sponsor of the festival next year."

Tomorrow night's concert at the town hall will now feature jazz festival favourite, Steve Big Man Clayton.

Another popular singer, African star Ola Onabule, will be performing at The Crown in The Parade on July 11 at 7pm.