Free music events to take place at UCLan

6 April 2016

Jazz musicians to perform to celebrate University’s sponsorship of the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival

Calling all jazz fans!

Two free music events are taking place in Preston to celebrate the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) involvement with the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.

This Saturday, 9 April, Ken Hickey and Kevin Morris will be playing in UCLan’s new shop, In The City, based in St George’s Shopping Centre from 11am giving shoppers and jazz fans a chance to hear some entertaining guitar jazz and vocals.

From 11.30am to 2pm on Wednesday, 13 April, UCLan is hosting a special jazz funk concert on campus in the Foster Refectory. Professional band the Tom Vernon Trio and Ribble Valley debut band Jazz Junction will perform for students, staff and members of the public.

Both events are taking place to celebrate the University’s sponsorship of the upcoming Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.

 

"Making a positive contribution to the Lancashire community through events such as this, which enhance and celebrate culture and creativity, is integral to the ethos of the University."

Professor Mike Thomas, UCLan’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “The University of Central Lancashire is delighted to work in partnership with Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues as lead sponsor of the 2016 Ribble Valley Jazz Fest. Making a positive contribution to the Lancashire community through events such as this, which enhance and celebrate culture and creativity, is integral to the ethos of the University and we are proud to be associated with an event with such a strong heritage. As a jazz fan myself, I am also looking forward to enjoying the wide variety of events the festival has to offer.”

Sue Lightbown, Ribble Valley Jazz Festival Chairman, said she was thrilled with this development, and acknowledged that, alongside support from the Arts Council England, sponsorship from UCLan brought a massive increase to the festival’s credibility and profile. She added that previous festivals attracted numerous jazz fans from the Preston, and there is now a big chance of many more jazz and live music fans from West Lancashire communities.

The seventh annual Jazz Festival takes place in Clitheroe and a few Ribble Valley villages over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, 28 April to 2 May. The exciting programme of events features Martin Taylor, a celebrated jazz guitarist who tours the world performing and teaching his unique style of guitar playing. He will be joined by top award-winning musicians and bands including Courtney Pine, Zoe Rahman, Claire Martin and Ray Gelato.

More than 450 musicians, playing in 55 bands, will perform including professional stars, amateur groups and local school and college big bands.

More information on the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival is available on their website where there is a downloadable online brochure, and on Facebook and Twitter. Festival tickets can be booked online.