The seventh annual Rye international jazz and blues festival kicks off with a free ‘Funky Friday’ on Friday, August 24.

The outdoor music stage at the Kino Cinema in Rye will feature sounds through to 10pm, including from Dom Pipkin and the Ikos to Iain Rae’s jazz funk outfit Hardlines.

The festival, which runs from Friday, August 24 to Bank Holiday Monday, includes the best of local and regional talent performing from the Saturday to Bank Holiday Monday at the Butter Market from 1pm to 8pm each day.

British soul singer Tony Momrelle, who has toured with the likes of Gloria Estefan,Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan, performs on Saturday at 3pm. Jazz FM vocalist of the year Zara McFarlane performs her headline evening at 8pm at St Mary’s Church, while she is followed on the Sunday at 2pm by jazz singer and broadcaster Clare Teal.

Jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine debuts at the festival this year with his acclaimed show The House of Legends at St Mary’s Church, Rye on the Sunday at 8pm while Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion headline on Bank Holiday Monday, before legendary singer Joan Armatrading performs at St Mary’s Church, Rye at 8pm with a two-hour intimate special concert.

The festival also presents two concerts at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea later, with Grammy award-winning singer Corinne Bailey Rae on Friday, September 7 and Dionne Warwick on Saturday, September 8.

Look out for our interview with Corinne Bailey Rae in What's On soon.

DETAILS

The Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival takes place from Friday, August 24 to Bank Holiday Monday. To book and for a full programme, visit ryejazz.com