A NEW festival which aims to showcase the best of Dorset's jazz musicians will be held across Bournemouth and Poole next month.

Bournemouth Summer Jazz Festival, which runs from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, will feature around 40 singers and bands playing at over 30 different hotels, pubs, cafes and restaurants across the two towns.

The launch event, led by Gerry Clarke, the festival's director, was held at the Hotel Miramar on the East Cliff and attended by musicians, the Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Chris Mayne and members of Bournemouth Coastal BID.

Mr Clarke said that Bournemouth Summer Jazz Festival has been created to provide a platform to showcase aspiring talent and young musicians from Dorset.

He added: "We have set out to make music accessible to everyone, to families and people of all ages and we want everyone to come along, listen and appreciate jazz music.

"Music plays a big role in our lives, with the music industry offering plenty of career opportunities and one of the aims of our festival is to give young people positive encouragement to learn to play a musical instrument."

On Friday, June 19, there will be 14 live events ranging from an 18-piece orchestra on the town centre stage, a tribute to Frank Sinatra at the Cottonwood Hotel and old fashioned traditional jazz music entertaining diners at Harry Ramsden's.

The next day, scheduled events include music on the piazza area in Bournemouth Triangle outside Bournemouth Library and Flirt Cafe Bar, Bournemouth Big Band in the Square and a jazz trio at the town's newest hotel, Hampton by Hilton.

Events on Sunday, June 21 for the festival are dedicated to Father's Day with jazz brunch sessions at venues including The Plantation Pub, Harbour Heights Hotel and Hallmark Hotel, with an afternoon tea event at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum.

For more information and the full list of all musicians and venues involved in Bournemouth Summer Jazz Festival, go to Bournemouthjazzfestival.co.uk