Why not, dear readers, get yourselves down to Ronnie’s in the first half of August. It’s two weeks of all-British jazz- the official name is Britjazz Festival. (Media sponsor Jazzwise. )

Take a look: quite a range of different acts and different styles.

And a top price of £20 for several of the nights is the club’s way of saying “Come On Down.”

The press release today also flags up (more detail later I guess)

– album launches
– workshops & masterclasses
-a photography competition
– a ‘quiz show’ with a celebrity panel
(those single inverted commas round ‘quiz show’ are from the press release, I find them at the same time….. alluring and troubling!)

-There is also a “50:50” discount offer. Terms “For only £50, customers can purchase a ‘50:50 Pass’ which gives a 50% discount on any tickets bought for the season. “

Here’s the programming , the pricing, and a few ideas:

-The Ronnie’s debut of Gareth Lockrane’s Big Band is something I don’t intend to miss.
-The 13th with Iain Ballamy opposite James Pearson will be a good night.
-And either Soweto Kinch or Courtney Pine will lift the roof off!

BRITJAZZ FESTIVAL FULL PROGRAMME

Sat 1st August: Julian Joseph Trio / Polly Gibbons Quartet
(1st house £40 / 30 / 25, 2nd house £36 / 26 / 20)

Sun 2nd August: Funk Affair with Noel McKoy
(£26 / 20 / 15)

Mon 3rd August: Gareth Lockrane Big Band / Ross Stanley Organ Trio
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Tue 4th August: Nucleus Revisited / Michael Garrick Quartet
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Wed 5th August: Evan Parker Trio / The London Jazz Collective
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Thurs 6th August: Zoe Rahman / Arun Ghosh Indo-Jazz Sextet
(£20 / 15/ 10)

Friday 7th August: Joey Negro presents… The Sunburst Band / The Filthy Six
(£36 / 26 / 20)

Sat 8th August: Liane Carroll Quartet / Tony Kofi Quartet
(1st house £40 / 30 / 25, 2nd house £36 / 26 / 20)

Sun 9th August: Soul Family Sunday with Natalie Williams
(£26 / 20 / 15)

Mon 10th August: Soweto Kinch / Tom Cawley’s Curios
(£30 / 20 / 15)

Tue 11th August: Clark Tracey Quintet / Lee Gibson Quintet
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Wed 12th August: Polar Bear / Get the Blessing
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Thur 13th August: Iain Ballamy / The James Pearson Trio Album Launch
(£20 / 15 / 10)

Friday 14th August: Courtney Pine’s “Transition in Tradition” / Anton
Browne Quartet
(1st house £46 / 36 / 30, 2nd house £40 / 30 / 25)

Sat 15th August: Tommy Smith / Kit Downes Trio
(1st house £40 / 30 / 25, 2nd house £36 / 26 / )