JAZZ fans will be thrilled to know the popular Southend Jazz Festival is returning to the city this month and promises to be bigger than ever.

The week-long celebration of jazz in all its forms, runs from September 26 until October 2, with 16 different events at different venues across the city.

This year’s headline show will feature a stunning 17 piece big band at Westcliff’s Genting Casino - The Simon Spillett Big Band Plays Tubby Hayes.

The festival is being delivered in association with Creative Estuary, an organisation set up to support the arts along the Thames Estuary.

Emma Wilcox, Creative Estuary project director, said: "Supporting musical projects in Southend is part of our commitment to supporting our local artists and engaging our communities to contribute to their creative identity.

"In everything we do for the Estuary, we want to capture imagination and provide opportunities."

Darren Harper, director of Southend Jazz Festival CIC - the organisation behind the event - said: "Thanks to this support, this year is set to be the most inclusive and accessible festival to date, with subsidised shows, free events for the whole family, school workshops and special discounts for young people and assistance for music lovers on lower incomes.

"The festival is going to have a great mixture of local talent, with the return of Southend’s popular Mukasa Collective, Dave Mascall’s Acid Lounge, and saxophonist Anita Carmichael leading a Southend Jazz Showcase, as well as some of the biggest and brightest stars from across the UK jazz scene, including pianist Deschanel Gordon, winner of the 2020 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year.

"We couldn’t be more excited about the 2022 festival.

"Thanks to the invaluable collaboration with Creative Estuary and support from Southend Council, we are able to bring some the very best of UK Jazz to Southend whilst making sure we put on a festival for everybody.

"Many event tickets are subsidised and a number of free tickets and events are also available. We’re also continuing with our drive to build the next generation of jazz musicians and enthusiasts with free school workshop places for over 200 children as well as a superb showcase event, where local musicians can come and show us all just how much talent we have in this City."

Further information on the festival, and tickets to all the events are at SouthendJazzFestival.com or you can call 07512 252699.