Burt Bacharach performing at the festival. Photograph by Jeff Morgan
Hurricane Bertha has failed to dampen spirits at the 30th anniversary Brecon Jazz festival, which is entering its final day with ticket sales 20% up on last year, a high number of sell-out gigs, some memorable performances by Burt Bacharach, Laura Mvula Huw Warren and Loose Tubes, and lots of wonderful music still to look forward to.
There may be plenty of rain around today, but on Friday and Saturday the mid Wales town was packed, with thousands of revelers enjoying the atmosphere of a street market, parades and performances in the centre of town, and some fantastic music from the likes of Jean Toussaint, Roger Beaujolais, Kairos 4Tet, Troyka, and Zara Mcfarlane.
Tim Powell, a director with Wales-based festival operator Orchard said: “Bertha is throwing everything at us, but concert venues are full and there’s still a terrific atmosphere in town. It’s a shame for the traders that the weather has hit the street market and Captain’s Walk outdoor venue, but the show goes on in true New Orleans fashion, and we have Polar Bear, Gregory Porter and much more to look forward to tonight.”
The festival kicked off this year with a special performance by the incredible Burt Bacharach, which led the audience through the soundtrack of their lives. This was followed by a stunning performance by the immensely talented Laura Mvula, which again brought standing ovations to the town’s Market Hall.
This is Orchard’s third year as operator, and they are undertaking market research to determine the value of the festival to the regional economy.
Musician Django Bates, who brought Loose Tubes back to Brecon 30 years on said: “The invitation to bring Loose Tubes back is a tribute to the ethos behind Brecon Jazz which from the very beginning has been unpretentious, stylistically broad-minded, genuinely friendly, and welcoming to all.”
