ONE of the stars of the 2003 Marlborough International Jazz Festival will be Wiltshire's £1 million piano prodigy Jamie Cullum, who is honouring an old promise to appear.
The festival was officially launched on Monday when director Nick Fogg revealed that Jamie, who was brought up at Hullavington, near Malmesbury, will join the line-up of stars for the gala, which takes place from July 11 to 13.
Mr Fogg revealed that the 23-year-old jazz sensation, who recently signed a record-breaking £1 million deal with Universal for four albums, was honouring a promise he made almost two years ago to take part in the event.
He was unable to play at last year's festival because of a Russian tour but was honouring his pledge to play at the gala this year for "an extremely small sum", a fraction of the huge fees he can now command, said Mr Fogg.
News of the coup helps make up for disappointment that festival favourite Jools Holland will be taking a rain check this year.
Arts minister Kim Howell will be attending the opening ceremony outside the Castle and Ball Hotel on July 11 and will introduce Jamie, who will officially open the event.
The festival, which has become regarded as one of the best provincial jazz events in the country, has some new sponsors and performers this year.
BT Wholesale has stepped in as the main sponsor to celebrate the arrival in Marlborough of Broadband, the high-speed Internet service.
Festival favourites Elkie Brooks will be back sharing a concert with the legendary Humphrey Lyttelton.
After a break last year when the festival clashed with school term time, the major events will be back at the College Memorial Hall.
Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band will be back together with Pete Allen and his band, George Haslam, the Fat Cats and Netti Vaandrager.
More than ever before, said Mr Fogg, the festival will have an international flavour. For the first time the festival will feature two bandstands dedicated to specific regions of the world.
One will feature bands from Scandinavia, thanks to a link with the Finnish town of Tornio's jazz festival, and the other will feature four African bands. Mr Fogg said: "The event is expected to be the biggest yet. We are experiencing another year of phenomenal growth."
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