SOME of the world’s finest jazz artists are in the line-up for the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which runs from April 28 to May 3.

Superstar of the keyboard, Jamie Cullum, has been invited to be the festival’s first-ever guest director and he’s asked some of his favourite artists to perform, including dynamic Norwegian group Beady Belle, a battle of the beats club night with jazz drummer Seb Rochford and beatbox pioneer Shlomo.

There will also be an exclusive collaboration between the uniquely distinctive Paloma Faith and The Guy Barker Orchestra, a special one-off performance of some of Paloma’s favourite jazz songs.

The roll-call of big names goes on, with two shows from the internationally renowned Elaine Paige celebrating her love of classic jazz, and the king of the chat show Sir Michael Parkinson presenting Frank Sinatra: All or Nothing at all, a journey through Ol’ Blue Eyes’ songbook with Curtis Stigers, Buddy Greco and Alexander Stewart.

“This looks set to be the biggest and most varied line-up yet,”

says executive director, Ian George. More details at chelten hamfestivals.com/jazzbrochure.