BUMPER crowds are expected at this year's Swanage Jazz Festival, which starts next weekend and includes more than 50 bands.

The popular three-day event, which features a traditional brass band parade, is now in its 26th year and usually attracts thousands of people to the Victorian seaside town.

Among those set to appear this year is the Keith Nichols Blue Devils, Tom 'Spats Langham' and violinist Ben Holder.

Festival artistic director Fred Lindop said: "Swanage Jazz gives jazz fans in Purbeck and Dorset the opportunity to enjoy a wide-ranging programme of music that distinguishes the festival from most others.

"The stylistic range is New Orleans to contemporary fusions, with lots of leading names and new faces."

Leading the modern section this year, Fred explained, are the Stan Tracey Dynasty Band, led by Clark Tracey playing some of his dad's music written for the Octet, and Jean Toussaint's reworking of a selection of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers recordings.

The event is based at venues across Swanage, with the main marquees situated at Sandpit Field.

Fred said: "We also feature several younger band-leaders making their first appearance at the festival - saxophonist Rachel Cohen, trumpeter Henry Armburg Jennings and drummer JJ Wheeler.

"Altogether there are more than fifty gigs on the stroller ticket and also many free gigs around the centre of town in pubs and open-air performance areas, with bands of enthusiastic youngsters from local schools, all of which add to the festival atmosphere."

The half-hour traditional brass band parade, starting at Swanage Tourist Information Centre, Shore Road, at 10.30 on the Saturday, will feature Dave Brennan's Jubilee Jazz Band.

The Swanage Jazz Festival takes place July 10-12

Visit swanagejazz.org for full details.