A HOST of big names descend on the South Coast for a festival this weekend.

The Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival will take from

Saturday until Bank Holiday Monday.

Among the acts playing across the weekend are Beverley Knight, Rumer, the James Taylor Quartet and Herbie Flowers.

Tickets are on sale now.

Now in its eighth year, the Rye Jazz Festival prides itself on bringing celebrated singers and bands from across the world to the seaside for a weekend of music.

Over the three days, jazz, blues and soul artists will perform shows at intimate venues in the small town.

Sell-out

Beverley Knight could be selling out theatres around the world but her headline show at the festival, on Saturday, takes place at the small and quaint St Mary’s Church.

Songwriter Rumer, whose real name is Sarah Joyce, will play there earlier in the day.

Organist Lucky Peterson and blues rocker Danny Boland will be performing sets on Sunday.

Lucky has performed to sell-out audiences for nearly 50 years and St Mary’s Church will be his home for the weekend as well.

Lucky recently performed four sell-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s jazz Club in London and is famous for his electric live shows.

He has recorded and performed with many of the best blues artists including the late BB King.

On Monday the James Taylor Quartet and folk rock guitarist Richard Thompson take to the stage.

Richard will close the festival with a rare, intimate set at St Mary’s Church.

There will also be dinner and late-night jazz events across the weekend, in which ticket holders can enjoy a meal and some fine entertainment to go with it.

There will be plenty of free music taking place throughout the town with events at pubs and in selected streets.

Visitors are advised to look out for brightly decorated street pianos where all are welcome to pull up a chair and entertain the passersby in the afternoon and

evenings.

As well as this, anyone who catches the music bug can attend a free music workshop – several will be taking place over the

weekend.

For a full list of events and activities taking place across the weekend, visit www.ryejazz.com.