Here’s what Mark Twain, writing in the San Francisco Dramatic Chronicle in 1865, had to say on the subject of the banjo: “The piano may do for love-sick girls who corset-lace themselves to skeletons, and lunch on chalk, pickles and slate pencils. But give me the banjo. When you want genuine music -- music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whisky, go right through you like Brandreth's pills, ramify your whole constitution like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose, -- when you want all this, just smash your piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo!” Well, with such a recommendation from such a distinguished source, we could not but provide you with one last glory-beaming dose of plectrine ecstasy from six of the foremost exponents of the banjoic art, marshalled as always by the imperturbable Derek Fleck.

Irrepressible stride and ragtime pianist Jeff Barnhart is no stranger to Whitley Bay audiences, who have thrilled to his performances, both in solo performance and in a small-band context, on his previous two visits. Hailing from Mystic, Connecticut, Jeff is a big man in all senses of the word, with an ebullient personality to match his outstanding pianistic skills. This time around, he will be teaming up with his classically-trained flautist wife Anne to bring us a varied programme of music, from Scott Joplin to Jerome Kern, in their polished “Ivory & Gold” duo act (“Quality melodies played with classic simplicity by two exceptional musicians” says a recent American review) that has graced concert halls and jazz festivals the world over. Jeff will also be taking part in our speciality piano sessions as well as appearing with a band or two over the weekend. Oh yes, and he sings very nicely, too!

The band style themselves “The world’s most versatile jazz band”, and having heard them in Bude two years ago, we absolutely agree. Anything from strict ragtime to Hungarian pop hits, by way of classic jazz and even spirituals sung in a capella harmony – these eight multi-talented Hungarians can do it all, and they do it all superbly. Led by Tamás Itzés (piano, violin, vocal, arranger & Festival organiser), the band was founded in 1985 and has since played in no less than sixteen countries, including the USA, where the St Louis Times reported “These conservatory players are an excellent ensemble, fluent in Joplin and more obscure ragtime composers but also capable of turning up the heat, jamming on King Oliver and Jelly Roll – the Bohém guys play this music as well as anyone in America.” This is only their second visit to the UK, but we’re sure it will not be the last. Isten hozott!