Rochester-based James Taylor and his acid jazz giants the James Taylor Quartet are part of a series of special concerts.

The British four-piece are part of the line-up for the concerts at St Mary In The Castle in Hastings, being staged by the Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival.

Kicking things off on Thursday, January 23 will be American singer Judy Collins, who will perform a rare and intimate concert as part of her European tour.

The award-winning, highly respected singer-songwriter, who is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk songs, is well known for her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, which has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Five decades later, she has 50 albums under her belt and her version of Send in the Clowns, a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, won Song of the Year at the 1975 Grammy Awards.

Saturday, January 25 will be party night when the James Taylor Quartet take to the stage at St Mary In The Castle.

For more than 30 years the quartet have set the standard for the coolest sounds in funky acid jazz; recorded dozens of albums while their signature tune, The Theme from Starsky and Hutch, featuring Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis of The JBs, was recorded in 1988 and included on their next album Wait A Minute.

They will be supported by Hastings-based band the Fabulous Red Diesel, a jazz orientated band of

unconventional players, performing song-based jazz.

For details and to book tickets go to ryejazz.com

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