Sparkling line-up for Christmas concerts in Rye

For starters soul diva Mica Paris, one of the UK’s finest and most respected female singers, is on her way back to Rye to perform her highly acclaimed new show which features the songs of the mighty Ella Fitzgerald on Friday December 15.

In April 2017, Mica released two tracks produced and arranged by Guy Barker to celebrate the centenary of Ella’s birth. Dubbed The First Lady Of Song, Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless.

Mica will be performing this unique celebration to a music legend with her talented jazz musicians and the audience can expect to hear many of the wonderful songs that made Ella one of the most revered singers of the 20th Century.

Mica has recorded Imagine My Frustration and Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye, two classics from the Fitzgerald songbook. The full album is in development and is due for release in 2018.

The range, power, and sheer soulfulness of Mica Paris’ singing made an immediate impact on the UK music scene in 1988 when she released her debut, platinum-selling album, So Good, from which she had her first top ten hit, My One Temptation.

Then, on Saturday December 16, the festival presents Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of the band Squeeze.

Chris and Glenn will be playing live at St Mary’s Church, and arrive after hugely successful sold-out UK and US Squeeze Join The Dots tours.

Chris and Glenn have written some of the most enduring and best-loved songs of our time - Up The Junction, Cool For Cats and Labelled With Love, to name but a few. 2015 saw the release of Cradle To The Grave which was written as a soundtrack to Danny Baker’s BBC TV sitcom. This year they have released their long-awaited follow-up The Knowledge which is receiving glowing reviews across the board.

Difford’s lyrics and Tilbrook’s music have prevailed through turbulent times over the past four decades, from the ever-changing musical landscape to their own internal reshuffles and an acrimonious break-up.

The At Odds Couple will see Glenn and Chris reflecting on their careers, as part of Squeeze and as solo artists, sharing not only the music but also giving an insight into what makes them tick as a partnership.

The festival organisers also welcome the band Arcelia which will be the support act on the evening, playing stunning soulful folk combining guitar, cajon, bass, piano and original songwriting to create a unique sound, with voices that blend together seamlessly.

For more information about Rye Jazz Festival’s Christmas concert season and to book tickets go to www.ryejazz.com.