Australia has produced many brilliant jazzmen over the years, men like Graeme and Roger Bell, Lazy Ade Monsbourgh, Len and Bob Barnard, Tich Bray and Tom Baker. It’s good to see that the flow of great music from Down Under continues, in the shape of young folks like Michael McQuaid. In 2008, he toured the UK with his brilliant young band, the Red Hot Rhythmakers; now he’s back, solo, and leading our Friday and Saturday night jam sessions in the Village Hotel’s Victory Pub under the slogan: “From Eleven PM to Who Knows When!” Michael plays trumpet, clarinet and saxophone: his Late-Hour Boys will be on piano, bass and drums and anyone from the festival – audience included – will be more than welcome to come along and sit in with them (the name, incidentally, is borrowed from one of Lazy Ade’s recording groups - Ade was a personal inspiration to Michael).

The New Century Ragtime Orchestra continues to grow in size, repertoire and reputation. Founded by ragtime enthusiast, bandleader and arranger Dave Kerr in 1998, the NCRO started out as an eight-piece band playing only instrumental ragtime. Since then, the instrumentation has expanded to eleven musicians, while the repertoire has grown to well over one hundred tunes with a strong selection of early jazz and hot dance numbers now appearing alongside the ragtime compositions. An extra delight is the charming Caroline Irwin, who, as well as playing second cornet, provides wonderfully authentic vocals in the manner of Annette Hanshaw (and she even strums the ukulele). In addition, Mr Steve Andrews will be regaling us with his fine reed work and truly inimitable inter-tune commentaries. This year, the NCRO will be playing two separate concerts, each presenting a distinctive themed repertoire, with trumpeter Bent Persson and percussionist Nick Ward making guest appearances.

Paul Munnery deserves a medal – not just for his fine trombone playing, but for his indefatigable quest for the more esoteric aspects of jazz. Not content with exploring the Harlem big-band scene of the twenties and thirties, he has been researching the whole Kansas City and related Southwest musical arena, the scene that gave us first the great Benny Moten Band, then the famed Blue Devils and ultimately the Count Basie Orchestra - not to mention Charlie Christian and (whisper it) Charlie Parker. Kansas City was wide open during Prohibition and the subsequent depression era, thriving under the corrupt regime of the splendidly-named Boss Pendergast. Not so good for the sober, law-abiding citizen maybe, but great for the clubs and dancehalls where the music thrived. Paul will tell you all about it, aided by a hand-picked eight-piece all-star band featuring Matthias Seuffert, Steve Andrews, Bent Persson and a swinging rhythm section.