Marlborough Jazz Festival hits the right note despite the downpour (From This Is Wiltshire)

Marlborough Jazz Festival hits the right note despite the downpour

11:58am Monday 13th July 2009 in

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For the first time in years the Marlborough Jazz Festival was hit by heavy rain on its busiest day but it did not prevent the event being probably the busiest ever said chairman Brian Ashley.

The festival director, Nick Fogg, who is currently Mayor of Marlborough claims that the festival is usually blessed with fine weather because he knows a friendly nun who puts in a good word with the Almighty.

However she must have got her lines crossed this year because grey skies greeted the opening ceremony at tea time on Friday and on late Saturday afternoon and evening there was half an inch of rain according to the rain gauge in Mr Ashley’s garden.

However the rain did little to dampen the jazz festival spirit and the only events affected were those on the open air band stand in New Road.

However the bands including Marlborough’s own Kennet Vale Band played on in true Titanic style under a canvas cover and a few of the hardier supporters huddled under gazebos outside Pino’s restaurant and enjoyed Marlborough’s own version of water music.

However with 20 venues to choose from, most of them with cover for the spectators, the festival was not really affected by the rain and thousands of jazz fans enjoyed the opportunity of being able to hear 100 bands, groups and solo performers over the weekend.

As the 23rd Marlborough International Jazz festival drew to a close with a packed audience listening to the Dutch Swing College Band in the Priory Marquee Mr Ashley said: “I think the spirit has been fantastic. It has been almost like the Dunkirk spirit with people defying the rain.

“A lot of people went home early on Saturday because of the weather but some of the venues were jam-packed all evening.

“The feedback generally is that this year’s festival has been superb.”

Nick Fogg, one of the festival’s founders and its mainstay, said: “It has been brilliant despite the weather on Saturday.

“The rain affected us only in a minor way and in fact we have had a lot more people attending than we did last year.

“Ticket sales have been considerably up and I would say we are about one third up on last year.”

Increasingly the jazz festival has become a family event with parents taking their children along and this was evident more than ever before at the weekend.

Probably the youngest to attend at the age of just five and a half weeks was Charlie Patterson from Rogers Meadow in Marlborough who went along with his parents, Chris and Dawn who both work for Henry George estate agents.

As they listened to the closing stages of Sunday’s performance by the Amina Figarova International Quartet in the Priory Marquee, Mr Patterson said: “He is absolutely loving it.

“He has been happy all the way through and has not cried at all.”

Many of the town’s traders took advantage of the hundreds of jazz strollers making their way between the 20 venues that ranged from the town Fire Station to the back rooms and gardens of pubs.

Greengrocer Tim Smith and his family served strawberries and cream on the pavement outside of their High Street shop and nearby there were barbecues outside Jess Smith butchers and the Bear Hotel.

Across the road the Blue Orchid had a pavement stall offering Thai green curry with rice and just up the road the Raj Indian restaurant was offering a take away meal package.

Next year’s festival will be a week later over the weekend of July 16 to 18 to avoid a clash with the World Cup finals in South Africa.

Look out for more pictures and reviews in this week's Gazette & Herald