Brit Soul and funk icon Jazzie B is set to play Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music

Returning to its summer event on Saturday 4 September in the town’s Elmhurst Park, the first announced headline act at the event is the legendary Soul II Soul icon.

Soul II Soul's classic tracks Keep On Movin' and Back to Life (However Do You Want Me), propelled Jazzie B into the mainstream with a groundbreaking fusion of London's sound system and breakbeat culture, with hip-hop, house and soul.

The festival will be returning to the park with its hallmark line-up mixing national, international and local artists, to be announced. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday on Eventbrite and can be found, along with more information, at www.woodbridgefestival.com

The Grammy Award winner's appearance at the festival's main event follows a lockdown programme that has included high profile national acts and a wealth of local talent playing popular, socially distanced monthly events at venues in the town.

Pioneering funk and soul DJ Les Spaine, legendary Brit funk singer Leee John of Imagination, who recently recorded with Gorillaz, rising Czech singer AIKO and club jazz pioneers Red Snapper have all played unique lockdown gigs at The Riverside, raising funds to keep the historic venue going.

Ben Osborne, DJ and programme director, says events organised by the Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music have helped support more than 40 artists and creative freelancers during the pandemic:

“We’ve worked hard to support music and culture with COVID-safe events throughout the pandemic,” he tells us. “From June 2020 onward we held live music and DJ events in the town’s century-old cinema and theatre, The Riverside, at The Table, The Tea Hut and the new waterside venue, The Boathouse," he says.

"We’re delighted to be able also return to the park event with someone as inspiring and iconic as Jazzie as our first headline announcement.

"As a community festival, the event will be affordable, accessible and family friendly. There'll be a full programme of live bands and DJs, with visual arts, spoken word performances, workshops, an eco-zone, a kids-zone, food village, bars and stalls," he adds.

Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music is a not-for-profit event with all proceeds going to local causes and venues, and to provide future community events. It strives to be an environmentally sustainable event.