Our economy is a storm ravishing the British economic landscape and seemingly one of the key things being hit, in advance of the 2012 Olympics is the world of Culture.  Jazz Festivals are falling at a rate of knots, first Brecon Jazz was announced as being in financial trouble, then the Isle of Man jazz festival is cancelled, closed followed by the Plymouth jazz festival being cancelled last week and the Isle of Wight jazz festival seeing cancellation this week.

Yet in the midst of all this gloom is one good news story; amongst the beautiful dreaming spires of Oxford, a brand new jazz festival has set out to beat the economy, by making the whole of Oxford take part, from volunteer stewards to restaurants, churches and college theatres across the city being willing to house jazz bands at either a cut price rate or by paying for the performances themselves.  It has turned this festival, still in it’s inaugural year into a behemoth, with a full and exciting range of jazz in some of the most exhilarating venues imaginable, including the Oxford Union debating chamber and a converted asylum.

Performances from the leading lights of the world of jazz underpin the program which runs across the whole Easter weekend including highlights from Gwynneth Herbert, Ian Shaw, Julian Siegel and John Etheridge

See http://www.OxfordJazzFestival.com for further details